In 2024, if you hear "AI" in conversation, artificial intelligence is the first thing that comes to mind but for the hoop heads that grew up on 90's and 2000s basketball, those two letters can only be associated with one man. Allen Iverson. As one of the most beloved athletes to ever do it, AI's cultural impact goes beyond his numbers and accolades. Whether it's the step over on Ty Lue, his "practice" interview, his crossover on Jordan, or transcending NBA fashion by dressing his own way, Allen Iverson will forever be immoratalized as one of the most infleuntial athletes ever. He's not letting technology erase his history.
"I'm the original AI," Iverson says on AI being associated with artificial intelligence. "I wouldn't say disturbing but it's different, you know what I mean? The way it's thrown around now. But I mean, I look at it as a good thing. A cool thing. My kids think it's cool."
The original AI recently teamed up with Pepsi for March Madness to give fans “the answer(s)” to the 2024 Zero Right Bracket Challenge. Fans can submit a “Zero Right” bracket during college basketball’s biggest tournament for a chance to score $100,000 on DraftKings
We sat down with Iverson for a quick chat about March Madness, Kyrie Irving being the most skilled player ever, Brian Windhorst's comments on him saying he wouldn't be as good in today's NBA, and more.
(This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.)
So can you talk about your partnership with Pepsi for March Madness and how this partnership came about?
I'm the original AI. It's that easy. It ain't a whole bunch to it. They said I can be cocky if I wanted to be. So there you go.
You earned that. You're kinda alluding to it so let's talk about AI. What's your thoughts on people associating AI with aritificial intelligence more frequently now?
It is what it is, it is what it is. I wouldn't say disturbing but it's different, you know what I mean? The way it's thrown around now. But I mean, I look at it as a good thing. A cool thing. My kids think it's cool. If they like it, I love it.
No doubt. Back to why we're here and that's March Madness. What was your biggest memory from playing in the tournament?
The magnitude. The excitement. The hype. Obviously, the pain that comes from it. you know, not being able to finish it, you know, when you wanna finish it with the guys, that you love the guys that you be around day in and day out. Just trying to get it done and not being able to.
And then the aftermath of it and having to watch someone else accomplish what you set out to accomplish all year. That pain that comes from it just gives you much more hunger.
Today, college basketball is a little bit different than it was back then. Now players are getting paid a lot of money through NIL. What are your thoughts on NIL and what do you think your profit would've been back then?
I don't know, man, I don't even think about shit like that. I think about the task at hand. Just the basketball part of it, just the love of playing basketball. Dudes like myself and a lot of other guys would do this if we never got $1 for it. You know what I mean? This is what we do. We hoopers.
Speaking of hoopers, Damian Lillard recently said that Kyrie Irving was the most skilled basketball player of all time. Do you agree with his statement?
Damn, you put me on the spot. But shit, if he not the greatest, he's one of them. Like I'm not gonna dispute that. I love him to death. I love him. I love everything about his game, everything about him, and the person too. I love him to death. Most skilled? It could be a big argument. I ain't had no time to think about it and try to process the whole thing.
I just know he bad as hell. I just know he's legendary. He's one of the greatest, an all-time great. If I was trying to teach my son and my daughter how to play this game, I damn sure would try to give them that blueprint. Kyrie is it. He's the one.
LeBron recently said on his podcast that you and Steph are the most influential players of all time. What are your thoughts hearing that from him?
That's crazy. I love you for that. For you to be on it, the way you on it but I'm just processing it. Because I just saw it before we got on this Zoom so I haven't had a chance (to process). It's an honor obviously for him to say something like that. And I love him so much as a person, obviously, as a basketball player, but LeBron is so much better as a person. You gotta know him to really understand where I'm coming from but for him to say something like that about me... I haven't had a chance to take it in for what it is. It's a blessing. I'm just a lucky dude.
You have always had Kobe and MJ as your GOATs. What do you think it will take for LeBron to join or even surpass them on your list?
He there at the top, he's there. I mean, what else do you want him to do? He's already on the Mount Rushmore of the greatest that ever played the game. You know what I mean? Like it's nothing wrong with someone saying he's the GOAT. Like they're not crazy for saying that. Just like no one should be crazy for saying Kobe is ahead of Mike and ahead of LeBron.
There's nothing wrong with that. It's just an opinion and I think it's unfair when people get criticized for how they feel. Like, the way you feel is the way you feel. There's nothing wrong with that. There's no disrespect to no one.
Millions and billions of people across the world say he's the GOAT and there's nothing wrong with that. You shouldn't beat nobody up for feeling the way that they feel.
One guy who recently had a strong opinion of you was Brian Windhorst. He said you wouldn't be able to average 43 points in today's NBA like you said you could earlier this year. Do you have a response to him?
That's his opinion. I mean, I'm not mad at that man. That's the way you think. I'm not mad at him. God bless him. There's no way I'm gonna bash him or be mad at him or criticize him for the way he thinks.
I have my opinions, people don't believe in everything that I say. That's what makes all this beautiful cause all of us can think the way we wanna think and believe in what we wanna believe in. Like you can't be mad at nobody because they don't agree with you. It is what it is.
