For years, a team-up between your favorite players in the NBA was only possible during the All-Star match. While the league has shifted towards player movement, the lack of that specialty is a major bullet against superteams. For example, the legendary team comprising Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. For fans, the All-Star game was the one time that spectacle was a possibility.
Talking about a similar team-up, was an NBA legend, and pound-for-pound the greatest scorer in the history of the sport.
Legend calls Kobe Bryant his favorite player to team up with
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In his career, Allen Iverson accomplished a lot. Even though he was a legendary player, his impact off the court cannot be understated. While basketball was for the hoopers, AI was the hooper’s hooper for the people.
At 5’10, excellence wasn’t a guarantee for Iverson. However, through skill, determination, and hard work, he forged a legacy unlike any other. There is a reason his crossover on Jordan or step over Tyronn Lue remains a legendary highlight.
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Speaking of his encounter with Lue, that season was perhaps a microcosm of the kind of talent Allen was. As he dragged a less-than-ideal Philadelphia 76ers team to the championship, he was up against the Los Angeles Lakers with Shaquille O’Neal and his favorite teammate.
Recently, a clip resurfaced in which AI’s emotions came over speaking about Bean. When asked about the player he most looked forward to teaming up with at All-Star games, his answer was obvious. “Probably, one time I got a chance to play with Kob…It was always a battle between me and him. And then…Having the chance to be on the same team with him…Not knowing that that would be the only chance…”?
Over the years, the 4-time scoring champion has been a vocal Kobe supporter. Who can ever forget the heart-breaking letter he published addressed to the late Mamba?
The Letter
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In a heartfelt tribute, AI bared his soul in a letter to Bryant. Speaking about everything – from his first time seeing the Laker legend, to their many battles on the court, AI left no stone unturned. Eventually, he came to legacy.
According to Iverson, it was the moments from his career, his demeanor, his killer instinct, and his Mamba mentality that would live on. 3 years later, the words ring true more than ever. Whether it’s at a Taylor Swift concert or a podcast, the name Kobe Bryant remains constant.
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And, to his friends, immortal.
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