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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

It was a rather forgettable night for LeBron James. With Anthony Davis suffering an unfortunate injury in the first quarter, his team got blown out by the Sixers. But LBJ’s disappointing Philly trip ended on a wholesome note because of a heartwarming interaction with Allen Iverson’s mother, Ann.

It happened after the game while LeBron was heading out of the arena. That’s when he ran into Ann Iverson, who was proudly wearing her son’s Sixers jacket. Sure enough, both shared a long warm hug while Ann confessed to King James, “When you first got in, when y’all played and stuff, I didn’t care about seeing nobody but you. I’ll stand by the locker room and you’ll come out.”

Well, Ann is a huge Sixers fan, obviously because her son is a franchise legend. But she is also a sports fan. Her interaction with James brought forth an interesting new detail. Turns out, AI’s mom first saw LeBron play at the Palestra a year before he got drafted when his High School team faced Strawberry Mansion. Ann has been a fan ever since.

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Of course, she wanted to etch this moment forever in her memory, which is why she brought James Gang’s family portrait to get it autographed by King James himself. As she handed him the pictures and a sharpie, Ann said, “You got a beautiful family. I’m so proud of you.” That’s when LBJ remembered that she missed out on meeting Bronny, to which Ann replied, “Yeah, I wanted him to sign it too. But you know, you the man.”

After LeBron autographed the memorabilia, he shared another warm hug with Ann and she said one final time, “I love you with all my heart. And I am so proud of you. I’m really proud of you.” A wholesome moment indeed. Of course, it should not come as a surprise because LBJ has always been an AI fan.

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LeBron James once deemed Allen Iverson NBA’s “biggest influential” player alongside Stephen Curry

While James is always in the GOAT conversation, when you talk about cultural influence, there are a couple of players who might be ahead of him. Even the four-time champ acknowledged it on his podcast last year, “Steph and Allen Iverson are the two biggest influential guys in our game since I’ve been watching and covering… They were so relatable… Kids felt like they could be them.”

What’s your perspective on:

LeBron calls AI and Steph the most influential—Do you agree with his take on NBA history?

Have an interesting take?

Obviously, Steph is the reason why every aspiring hooper shoots the ball from half-court. He was the one who truly brought the three-point revolution to the NBA. But decades earlier, it was Allen Iverson, whose unique style and exuberant personality made him a cultural phenomenon. Many players today, including LeBron, wore an arm sleeve during games because of him.

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Of course, AI has similar respect for LeBron’s greatness as he responded, saying, “It’s an honor for you to feel this way. Love you Lil Bro! Feels good to get the flowers while you can still smell them.” Well, they are two legends of the game, and it’s great to see that LeBron is not only on good terms with Iverson but also his mother. What are your thoughts?

Have something to say?

Let the world know your perspective.

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Debate

LeBron calls AI and Steph the most influential—Do you agree with his take on NBA history?

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