Source: (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images) / (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)
Where has the time gone? Allen Iverson turned 45 years old yesterday.
I remember growing up as a young boy in Philly watching Al dazzle with his fantastic dribble moves and score with some of the best in the history of the league.
Al himself will tell you he made some mistakes during his younger years and during his time in the NBA, but one of the best things that ever happened to him was the signing of his lifetime deal with Reebok back in 2001.
When the deal was signed, it guaranteed him $32 million in a trust fund when he turns 55, which is now just 10 years away.
The deal came after AI’s 2001 MVP campaign and a season in which he led the Sixers to the NBA finals before falling short to the Los Angeles Lakers. Reebok was acquired by adidas in 2005, but the company is still paying him a staggering $800,000 year. That’s going to continue even after the trust is paid out.
“He’s an iconic personality,” Reebok CEO Matt O’Toole said in 2018. “Let’s get on a plane to Shanghai together. You bring Allen Iverson into a market like that. I’ll stand firmly that he has a big place in basketball and sports history.”
Iverson can frequently be seen on the sidelines or in the press box during Sixers games and even makes the occasional appearance in Reebok ads.
In the summers, Iverson still indulges in basketball through the Big 3 and doesn’t hesitate to show love to the players currently dominating the league. He serves as a player-coach for 3’s Company. “I signed up to be a coach, player, and captain. The coach part is going to go on throughout the game. Playing part is not going to be what you expect. You’re not going to see the Allen Iverson of old out there.”
