Years ago, Kawhi Leonard once said he grew up as a Sixers fan because of Allen Iverson. No one knew what drew the Klaw to AI in particular, but he finally explained it today.
After the Clippers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, I had a chance to ask Kawhi about his love for Iverson.
“Just his gameplay,” Leonard said. “How hard he played … He played both ends.”
The moment that confirmed Kawhi’s fandom for AI is his historic finals that ran in the year 2001. Allen Iverson led the Philadelphia 76ers team against Laker’s behemoth team, arguably this playoff team. largest in history. The Lakers lost one game in all the playoffs, and it was against the Sixers.
The Sixers eventually fell short against the Lakers, but captured Game 1, where Iverson created one of the most famous moments in NBA history when he walked over to Tyronn Lue. Iverson averaged 35.6 game points in that series, with only one other Sixers player getting average double numbers. Throughout that overall playoff run, Iverson averaged 33 points in the game.
The post goes both ways, as Iverson once named Kawhi Leonard “the best two-way player in the league.”
Allen Iverson may not have won the NBA Championship, but he is one of the most influential players in basketball history. His victory overcame Kawhi Leonard, and Kawhi will influence the next generation from him.