Updated 3/2/10

Allen Iverson’s return to Philly has been ended due to personal family matters & an ongoing feeling that Iverson isn’t going to suit up again for the 76ers.  Iverson apparently has a 4-yr child suffering from health issues so it’s no surprise to see him siding w/ the family on this one.

No one knows if we’ve seen the end of Allen Iverson in the NBA, but he’s retired & un-retired once so anything is possible.  One doesn’t have to look far to see a star athlete who has changed their mind after retiring (e.g. Michael Jordan, Brett Favre & now Iverson).

Iverson’s popularity is already cemented in the minds of (now) 20 & 30 yr-old males who grew up watching AI dominate the game despite his stature.  His effort on the court was difficult to match – even though it didn’t always translate to winning.  Sometimes a ball-hog, other times the team’s best option, and yet still lauded in some circles, Iverson should go down as one of the best to ever play the game.

Original Story (12/3/09)

Dust off your old 76ers Allen Iverson jerseys – it’s official!

After about a week of speculation, the Philadelphia 76ers re-signed former Sixers’ guard Allen Iverson to a non-guaranteed, one year deal.

Already weak at point guard w/ Louis Williams (17 pts on 49% FG and 5 ast per game) going down w/ an ankle injury for 2 months, the 76ers were in need of some scoring punch in the back-court.

Iverson will definitely provide that scoring power they need, but the big question is – at what expense?

Does the attention he warrants on the court provide open opportunities for his teammates (e.g. Jason Kapono) or does he stymie the offense and/or ruin the locker room camaraderie (if there is any).  Allen Iverson has to have the ball in his hands to be productive – hopefully the rest of the Sixers are comfortable w/ that fact, because starting Monday, they may not get as many touches as they’re use to.

Philadelphia has lost 8 straight games dating back to November 20th – their last win was against the Charlotte Bobcats on the 18th.  The team is sorely in need of a kick in the pants – perhaps signing Iverson will help them wake up a bit.

Iverson should make the 76ers a better team – at least in the short-term.  He will bring excitement to the fans and help increase Philly’s revenue from ticket sales and merchandising.  Smart move by 76ers management if you ask me… they couldn’t get much worse.

Img source: http://www.prweb.com/prfiles/2007/08/22/174044/AllenIverson2.jpg

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