‘Why Would I Pass’: Former Teammate Reveals How Allen Iverson Helped Him During his Rookie Season

Hall of Famer Allen Iverson is one of the most iconic players of all time. He is well known for changing the NBA with his fashion, and also for his unique playing style. But a lesser-known fact about him is that he was also a great mentor for younger players.

Former All-Star Kyle Korver recently spoke about how Iverson helped him when he entered the league. He said, “It was significant for me.

“Coming onto the team as a 2nd-round pick, confidence is the biggest factor in whether you’re gonna make it or not. You need someone to believe in you. That’s what he was for me.”

Korver was drafted in 2003 when the 76ers had a miserable season and missed the Playoffs. But despite their struggles as a team, Iverson helped the younger guys like Korver.

How Allen Iverson helped Kyle Korver with his shooting

“He was always in my ear telling me to shoot the ball,” Korver continued. “We didn’t have a lot of shooters on the team. If you couldn’t make it when he passed it to you, he was like, ‘Why would I pass it to you? I’ll just shoot it myself’.

“He was always looking for me. His encouragement and how much he helped me, I cannot state how important that was for me as a young player.”

On their team, there were just 3 players, including Korver, who shot over 3 attempts from three. So it was important for Korver to do his best because he came in as one of the best sharpshooters in college.

This approach from Iverson indirectly helped Korver to do his best and helped him become one of the best sharpshooters in the history of the NBA.

Iverson wasn’t a pass-first playmaker, but he still created all of these chances for his teammates. Korver spent 5 seasons in Philly, averaging 10.5 points while shooting 40% from three.

Iverson was traded in 2006 to the Nuggets, and then Korver was also shipped away in the following season. Unfortunately, both of them were never able to win a ring.

Iverson is one of the best players to never win one, while Korver still has a chance to win one since he hasn’t technically retired yet.