The 20 Greatest Allen Iverson Reebok Sneakers of All Time

Don't front, if you were old enough when Bubbachuck entered the league you either thought he was going to be the greatest ever or never make it at all. It took a few people over at Reebok to convince the company that the six-foot (on a generous day) 165-pound (after Thanksgiving dinner) guard fresh out of G-Town was going to be the future of the NBA and a huge influence on the culture — but more on that here. It was simple, staying true to himself and where he came from was all that Allen Iverson knew and in the process that included his first love — playing ball and slaying his opponents with heart and pride. 

Shortly after Iverson donned a Sixer jersey, Reebok dropped his first sneaker, The Question (more about that here as well). The shoe easily turned out to be the sneaker company's greatest seller, flying off shelves faster than Kate Upton posts shut down blogs. With the return of his rookie shoe (yup, we played a little part in that too) that rang out in the streets like Jordans, we decided to break down The Answer's greatest kicks. Click on the gallery to check out The 20 Greatest Allen Iverson Reebok Sneakers of All Time and hit us in the comments to let us know which ones you're feeling most.

20. UNDFTD x Reebok Question

Year released: 2006

Undefeated's absurd flip of the iconic Question into a piece of (early) '90s pop art was either something you loved or hated. No in-between. The spatter on the midsole was deinitely a plus, while the South Beach on acid color scheme was an, um, acquired taste.

19. Reebok Question 3 "Grey/Navy"

Year released: 2008 

After a mid-season brawl between the Nuggets and Knicks left Denver without Melo and J.R. Smith for a chunk of the season, they decided they needed to bring in reinforcements. Iverson was traded before the deadline and with his move we saw the debut of the Question 3. The shoe shared similarities with the first two Questions and also added a midfoot strap for added support. You may have caught Allen rocking a pair of these last week alongside Marbury in China — still ballin'.  And the G-town colors are always welcome.

18. Reebok Answer II "Navy/Grey" 

Year released: 1999 

The Answer Lite, or IIs, are incredibly underrated. Where the original Answers started in terms of comfort this model took it to the next level. We need these back for performance reasons and the red/camo shorts that were featured in the Eastbay catalog along with them. The embossed "IVERSON" across the forefoot (easier to see on the white version) was a nice touch.

16. Reebok Question 2 "Olympics" 

Year released: 2004 

The sequel is never as good as its predecessor, and this remanied true with the long-awaited followup to the classic Questions. Reebok cooked up a pair specifically for AI's spot on the Men's Olympic Team in Athens. The shoe featured the same familiar Hexalite system and toecap as the OGs, complete with a ginormous American flag on the tongue. 

16. Reebok Answer V "All-Star"

Year released: 2002 

Fresh off his insane title run (and his new lifetime extension with Reebok), Iverson was hampered by injuries but limped his way off the bench to remain a starter in the All-Star Game in front his beloved home crowd. Iverson wowed the crowd, but Kobe Bryant took home the MVP honors in his hometown. The Answer Vs were a little bulky for an Iverson sig, but were downright sleek compared to what was to come.

15. Reebok Answer IX "Red/White"

Year released: 2005

It's hard to believe these were an Iverson shoe. One of Reebok VP Todd Krinsky's biggest regrets was having to incorporate whatever Reebok's tech-of-the-moment was into Iverson's line, and the Answer IX was an example of that. That said, the fashion-forward double strap was something that would show up again and again on high-end sneakers in years to come. Maybe they were onto something after all.

14. Reebok Answer VI "All-Star"

Year released: 2002 

For the Answer VI, Reebok went back to the zipper that made the IV sell so well and forefoot grenade construction so AI could stay low to the ground and explode. The All-Star version got all patriotic with the red, white and blue.

13. Reebok Answer VII "All-Star"

Year released: 2004 

In maybe the only game ever where AI was the lowest scorer on his team, he broke out his All-Star version of the Answer VIIs. There was more than a little Jordan in its style, but is that ever a bad thing?

12. Reebok Answer "Rookie of the Year" 

Year released: 1998 

When you break Wilt Chamberlain's record for most consecutive 40-point games by a rookie, you're going to get the hook-up. The "ROTYs" dropped in the spring of Iverson's second season to commemorate his honors as the best of the legendary class of '96. The shoes featured a white upper with red and gold accents to pair with the Sixers uniforms and the first of his trophies from Stern and company.

11. Reebok Answer IV "White/Black"

Year released: 2000

Like the Jordan I "Banneds" and Nike Foamposites, the shoe required a little tweaking before they were street legal for games. The production model came without that strap on top but the league made them add it to AI's game shoes to cover the zipper pull. The sneaker owed a little to Gary Payton's Glove series with Nike — it hugged the foot giving maximum support and with the DMX system to aid they were light on your feet. 

10. Reebok Question "All-Star" 

Year released: 2000 

Originally released in small numbers, the shoe celebrated the 200 All-Star Game host team's (Golden State Warriors) colorways. They never hit AI's feet in the game despite Krinsky's pleas, as he donned the Answer IIIs en route to a 26-point, 9-assist game but became a cult favorite for their unique look (Pick Your Shoes later dropped an exclusive retro). The original plan was to do up Questions in the colors of the host city for Iverson to rock in every All-Star game — so much for that.

9. Reebok Answer "Navy/Gold" 

Year released: 1998 

The third U.S. colorway to release of the model, the all-patent summer drop sold fast and got a lot of love off and on the court. During the '98-99 college season these were a staple in B. Diddy's game (get well soon) as well as other UCLA hoopers. 

8. Reebok Answer "Black/Gold"

Year: 1997

D-M-X! The Reebok Answer I was a huge step away from The Question in terms of design and technology. The shoe was lighter, slimmer, and lower than The Question, and also were the first basketball shoe to feature DMX technology, which made you feel like you were hoopin' on clouds. The full-on patent leather models gave you instant street cred, but the GR black joints were fire.

7. Reebok Question 3 "THXPHILA" PE

Year released: 2008

The Question III borrowed the honeycomb flow Hexalite system that made the originals so famous. No doubt Philly fans were sad to see Allen go to Denver, but mad props to little man for showing the City of Brotherly Love respect during his first game back. 

6. UNDFTD x Reebok Question

Year released: 2007

Now this is more like it. All-black mesh upper, speckled midsoles, "ANSWER" on the ghillies, black-on-black detailing. You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge.

5. Reebok Answer III "Georgetown"

Year released: 1999

One of the most traditional designs Reebok did for Iverson's line, the Answer III was clean and simple — and, most importantly, light. The leather and nubuck upper offered great stability and the remixed DMX Lite cushioning let you feel the air move when you decided to strike your opponent. The "Georgetown" colorway was never worn by the Hoyas, but the nod to AI's beginnings were greatly appreciated.

4. Reebok Answer "Red Patent"

Year released: 1998  

Reebok decided to lace AI with a special makeup of his Answers which saw only very limited numbers actually hit the streets thanks to an inexplicable non-U.S. release. Keep these on your eBay saved search list — and good luck. These should be a no-brainer retro drop.

3. Reebok Question "White/Red"

Year released: 1996 

The Scott Hewett designed Question brought Reebok's Hexalite windows to a wide audience, and the contrasting toecap (in either suede or pearlescent leather) meant you wouldn't mistake them for anything else. The initial drop of 5,000 pairs back in '96 had people driving hundred of miles to cop like they were Doritos Loco tacos. When they drop again next week, it's going to be major.

2. Reebok Answer IV "Finals"

Year released: 2001

Iverson always wanted new colorways — he got bored easily, and he was always on Krinsky's case to get him new joints. In this case, Iverson called him during the Eastern Conference Finals for a new pair he wanted for the Finals. "Basically, he was like, 'Yo, we got to flip it,'" Krinsky remembers. "And sometimes we do it with the foam, so it was like, 'What do you mean flip it?' He was like, 'the white goes where the black goes, the black goes where the white goes [on the GR version].' I was trying to visualize it, like, that’s not going to look right. He goes, 'Make it.' So we made it, had it for Game 1." Tyronn Lue remembers.

1. Reebok Question "White/Navy"

Year released: 1996

It would have been easy to put the classic white/red joints in the number-one spot, but the white/blues (in either suede or pearlescent, take your pick) might be even more classic. Why? That's why.