MJ was in awe of Allen Iverson's dominance during his rookie season.
Allen Iverson’s epic crossover move on was arguably the best highlight of his rookie season in the NBA. It was also a sign of things to come, as A.I. showcased an offensive repertoire a lot of the veterans might've been jealous of. That includes MJ himself.
Jordan told reporters after an April 1997 game against Iverson and the via .
was the No. 1 pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, one of the best classes in NBA history.
But from day one, it was obvious he'd justify the hype that surrounded him even when he was still in high school.
Allen Iverson’s epic crossover move on was arguably the best highlight of his rookie season in the NBA. It was also a sign of things to come, as A.I. showcased an offensive repertoire a lot of the veterans might've been jealous of. That includes MJ himself.
Jordan told reporters after an April 1997 game against Iverson and the via .
was the No. 1 pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, one of the best classes in NBA history. But from day one, it was obvious he'd justify the hype that surrounded him even when he was still in high school.
Jordan said of Iverson’s case for winning the Rookie of The Year award in ’97.
Just as how Jordan saw it, Iverson was hailed NBA’s Rookie of the Year by the end of the 1996-97 season after logging an impressive tally of 23.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 2.1 steals per game.
As for Jordan, he also won the ROTY award in 1985, and hype-wise, he and Iverson seemed equal. But when it comes right down to it, MJ was still the better individual player as he finished his rookie year with MVP-like numbers already: 28.
2 points, 6.5 rebounds, six assists, and 2.4 steals per game.
Since then, Jordan knew Iverson would only improve over time. And even though MJ was well aware that A.I. was still far from his stature around that time, his competitive juices did not allow him to take it easy on the youngster—especially after Iverson's iconic crossover move.
Jordan in 1998.
