The Truth Behind the ‘Misunderstood’ Athlete: Allen Iverson

HAMPTON, Va. – NBA superstar, father, businessman, Hall of Famer, and now, an author.

Allen Iverson returned to his hometown in Virginia to speak to the people and places that defined his legacy long before the NBA did.

Iverson’s new memoir, Misunderstood, reveals the triumphs and defeats behind his seemingly troubled past that seeped into a 14-season career.

Taylor Paul, a friend of Iverson’s, CEO and co-founder of The League for Safer Streets, moderated the conversation.

Iverson recounted conversations with his then-girlfriend, who often said to ignore negative outside comments. The Newport News native said he never did well with letting things go that bothered him, but God gave him the gift to be “an open book.”

“What makes me have this gift is all the things I’m embarrassed about, all the mistakes I made in my life. I share it with people to where they can feel comfortable with the mistakes they made and feel like they can go further in life,” Iverson said.

Iverson described his book, released on Oct. 7, as a “confession of me being human.”

Having a tour stop in his hometown was important to Iverson — it’s an area that molded him.

“I’ve probably been to every project in Hampton and Newport News,” said Iverson. 

“People used to tell me ‘Chuck you’re going to make it’ and I try my best today to represent y’all in the best way that I can.”

Allen Iverson fan donning a custom “Bubba Chuck” jersey (Courtesy: David Lance)

Iverson, who was professionally known as “AI” while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, retells in a chapter how the nickname “Bubbachuck” came about.

“Story goes that two uncles up in Connecticut were arguing over what my nickname would be,” Iverson said. “One uncle was named Bubba and the other was Chuck. Well, they got to arguing that I should get one of their nicknames as my own, and my mom said, ‘You know what, you can both be right. Bubbachuck.’”

During the Oct. 18 event at The American Theatre in Hampton, over 500 attendees had the opportunity to purchase memorabilia that contained the title of the memoir. One shirt displayed his iconic cornrows, a hairstyle that he wore sporadically during his rookie season, before committing to the coiffure during the 1997 NBA All-Star Game.

Allen Iverson memorabilia inside of American Theatre in Hampton. (Courtesy: David Lance)He would be seen with uniquely-crafted rows of plaits on his scalp throughout the years and was seen getting styled by his aunt mid-game in 2001.​​

One of the four-time scoring champion’s most iconic styles featured smaller cornrows woven into two or more larger braids, simply known in predominately Black hair salons as “Iverson braids.”

Despite his cultural influence, Iverson faced backlash for donning the protective hairstyle throughout most of his career. He was referred to as a “thug” or a “hoodlum.”

Towards the end of his career while playing for the Detroit Pistons, Iverson made the personal decision before the 2009 NBA All-Star game to cut off his braids.

“People thought I had cornrows because I was on some thug Hampton, Newport News sh**,” Iverson, 50, said with frustration. “No, I was tired of people messing up my hair and I said, ‘Ok, I can get cornrows and don’t have to worry about anyone messing up my hair.'”

After the hour-long discussion, Iverson spent time after the event to speak with fans that included another local basketball star.

Bryan Carver, a basketball player from Baltimore who played Division I basketball for Canisius University, said he wanted to come out to support because he can relate to Iverson’s story.

“I’ve followed Iverson my whole career,” said Carver, 65. “I had an intense conversation with him backstage and I told him: ‘Pound for pound, he’s like the best NBA player.’ The upbringing he came from, he made it out and was successful,” Carver told The Click in an interview in the memorabilia hall.

Carver, who currently teaches middle school in Newport News, said Iverson’s message was exactly what he preaches to his students everyday.

“I’m trying to let the kids know that regardless of where they come from — circumstances, difficulties at home — that they can achieve whatever they want to achieve,” he said.