“He was definitely not gonna do anything to give people that satisfaction” - Theo Ratliff on how Allen Iverson dealt with critics

As far as defying the norms in basketball goes, Allen Iverson sure has ticked a lot of boxes. At 6-flat, AI didn’t let those few inches become the chink in his armor and went on to become arguably the most lethal scorer of his generation. Some say it was the big ego and the ball hog in him that made him famous, but some of his former Philadelphia 76ers teammates didn’t see it that way.

The mentality of a winner

Apart from being significantly shorter than the typical guard, Iverson’s naturally-gained infamy off the court gave him a chip on his shoulder. Former Sixers center Theo Ratliff said AI often opened up to him about how he was aware of what naysayers say. But never once did Iverson let the criticism get inside his head. If anything, “The Answer” used it to fuel him to prove them wrong and always be the best version of himself whenever he was on the court.

“He knows a lot of people had doubts in what he could do,” Ratliff told ESPN in 2001. “Any time he’s presented with a challenge, especially a challenge like that, he told me himself, personally, that he was definitely not gonna do anything to give people that satisfaction, to be able to say, ‘Allen’s doing this wrong now, Allen’s doing that wrong now.’ He wanted to come in with the attitude that, ‘I’m gonna try to do the right thing this year, and try to do the things that coach has been asking me. And do them and hold my head up high.’”

Nobody had a problem with AI

It didn’t take long for the Sixers organization to figure out that they found a unique gem in Iverson. Heading into the 2000s, Philly was all-in on AI.

As the lone All-Star on the squad, Iverson was tremendously good at his job. The 30, 40, even 50-point game performances became a regular thing. And while some people weren’t pleased with the team’s drastic imbalance, Iverson’s teammates didn’t have a problem with it. Because, unlike the fans, they witnessed how much work “The Answer” put in day and day out to earn his stripes.

“That does not bother us at all,” former Sixers guard Eric Snow said of Iverson as the lone star in Philly. “We all understand this league, the marketing in this league, the star status in this league. And you have to earn it. (Iverson’s) earned it. He’s earned the right to be called a star in the NBA, because he has the talent that he has.”

Indeed, people had different takes on Iverson. But at the end of the day, ball hog or not, superstar or not, “The Answer” made things happen when many thought he couldn’t.