Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson nearly got some tears flowing after an autograph seeker presented a photo of him alongside the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant at a recent signing. The Daily Mail says that Iverson said “Damn” as he received the small poster from a young fan. He asked, ‘Whose is this? It’s yours?’
The moment was captured by the boy’s father in a video that was later posted on Instagram. Although the photo itself is never clearly visible in the video, it appears to come from 2001, when Iverson’s Philadelphia 76ers met Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals.
Iverson became overcome with emotion and released intermittent sighs as he gazed at the small poster. ‘You got another for me?’ The 46-year-old Iverson asked. ‘I need one of these.’
He and Bryant were never known to be close off the court — something Iverson previously said he regrets following the Lakers legend’s death in 2020.
But although they weren’t personal friends, Iverson will forever be linked to Bryant in NBA history.
Here is how Iverson described his relationship with Kobe and the regrets he has about not trying to get to know him better.
Iverson retired from basketball in 2011 after a brief and unmemorable stint in the Turkish league. He opened up about his relationship with Bryant during a 2020 interview with former NBA stars Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson.
‘I didn’t have a personal relationship with him, but you know how killers respect killers? That’s what it was,’ Iverson said. ‘He knew who I was and I knew who he was. He gave me that push and I gave it to him.
‘I wish I could have had a better relationship with him as far as how great other people said he was, and what type of cool dude he was,’ Iverson continued. ‘I want that energy around me. He was the ultimate.’
Flip to the next page to watch the emotional moment it was really dope.
