Sixers Legend Reveals Different Sides Of Allen Iverson

Sixers legend Derrick Coleman revealed how he witnessed the different sides of Allen Iverson as they developed a friendship on and off the court.

Throughout his NBA career, Iverson made friends with most of his teammates. Due to his connections with an array of celebrities and his love for parties, Iverson was often likened by his former teammates to a “rock star.”

This was also the exact words of Coleman, who played most of his NBA career with the Sixers, in a recent interview with The Players’ Tribune when asked to describe his old pal.

“Man, Allen [Iverson] was a rock star. He was really a rock star,” Coleman said. “But, a great guy though, you know what I’m sayin’? He’d give you the shirt off his back. He was a great guy.”

Coleman was already a seasoned veteran when Iverson joined the Sixers in 1996. Being far more senior to “AI,” the 6-foot-10 power forward also recalled how he used to help the then-NBA rising star stay away from trouble.

“I used to tell him [Iverson] all the time, ‘Yo, send your homeboys home, man. Because they’re going to get you in trouble and blame you,” he recalled. “They’re driving your car – who’s name is registered to? Allen Iverson.’ And when they pull out Allen Iverson, you know, they got guns in a car, they got weed, whatever, he ain’t nowhere to be found. It just took him a while to understand that.”

After a three-year stint with the Charlotte Hornets from 1998 to 2001, Coleman rejoined the Sixers. At the time, Iverson was at the pinnacle of his career while Coleman was heading toward his twilight years.

The pair enjoyed a couple more seasons together before Coleman finally decided to call it a career in 2004.

In the spring of this year, Coleman and Iverson reunited once again in Detroit, the former’s hometown.

According to the 53-year-old, he didn’t see a rock star that day. Instead, Coleman witness an emotional Iverson who started crying as soon as they met.

“As soon as he saw me, he started crying,” Coleman revealed. “We had some drinks, and I’m like ‘Mo---rf----r what you’re crying for? I’ve seen you in a minute.' ‘He said, ‘I get emotional when I come around you.' We’re talking real love. So, we’re standing, and I called Coach Brown. I put AI on the phone with him. Man, he started crying again. He was crying all over again.”