Some of the most important coaches and figures in Allen Iverson life will be presenters at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday.
Former Georgetown coach John Thompson, former Sixers head coach Larry Brown, and Sixers legend Julius Erving will all present ‘The Answer’ before he’s inducted this Friday night in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Brown — a class of 2002 — inductee coached and bumped heads with Iverson from 1997 — Iverson’s second year in the NBA — staying with the team until 2003. Brown and Iverson clashed often, yet the coach was able have Allen buy in towards a trip to the 2001 NBA Finals and the 2001 league MVP.
Thompson wasn’t even recruiting Iverson to Georgetown when he got that call from Ann Iverson asking Big John to save her boy.
During Iverson’s two seasons there in 1995 and 1996 Under Thompson — Iverson led the Hoyas to the Sweet 16 in 1995 and the Elite Eight in 1996. An All Big East Selection, All-American and Defensive Player of the Year — Iverson averaged 22.9 points per game in his two seasons with the Hoyas before becoming the first overall pick of the Sixers in the 1996 draft.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame will welcome 10 hoops legends into its halls on Friday, and headlining this year’s class are Iverson, five-time champion Shaquille O’Neal, eight-time All-Star Yao Ming, and four-time WNBA champion Sheryl Swoopes.
The Hall of Fame announced the names of the presenters for all of the inductees Tuesday.
Zelmo Beaty (player), presented by Lenny Wilkens (’89, ’98, ’10)
Darell Garretson (referee), presented by David Stern (’14)
Allen Iverson (player), presented by Larry Brown (’02), Julius Erving (’93), John Thompson (’99)
Tom Izzo (head coach), presented by Gary Williams (’14)
John McLendon (head coach), presented by Wayne Embry (’99), Sam Jones (’84), Isiah Thomas (’00), John Thompson (’99)
Shaquille O’Neal (player), presented by Julius Erving (’93), Alonzo Mourning (’14), Bill Russell (’75), Isiah Thomas (’00),
Cumberland Posey (player), presented by Earl Monroe (’90)
Jerry Reinsdorf (owner), presented by Phil Jackson (’07), Scottie Pippen (’10)
Sheryl Swoopes (player), presented by Van Chancellor (’07), Nancy Lieberman (’96)
Yao Ming (player), presented by Dikembe Mutombo (’15), Bill Russell (’75), Bill Walton (’93)