Allen Iverson believes the Philadelphia 76ers are one of the favourites to win their first NBA championship in 40 years this season.
Iverson enjoyed an iconic 14-year career in the NBA, primarily starring for the Philadelphia 76ers despite having the odds firmly stacked against him. Standing six-feet tall, he became the shortest MVP in league history after sensationally leading the 76ers to the 2001 NBA Finals in one of the greatest individual postseason runs.
He scored 48 points in Game 1 to lead Philadelphia to a dramatic win, but the 76ers were ultimately crushed in the Finals as they ran into the unstoppable force that was the Los Angeles Lakers in the midst of their three-peat. Armed with Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, the Lakers won the title in five games.
Iverson was in the United Kingdom to unveil the London Coaches Program alongside Mayor Sadiq Khan and Ralph Rivera, the NBA Europe and Middle East managing director. While he is recognised as one of the game’s great guards, the 11-time All-Star is arguably one of the most popular players in basketball history thanks to his unapologetic commitment to being himself and representing his own style.
As the 2001 NBA MVP mobbed and ultimately whisked off, he smiled when asked if Joel Embiid and James Harden can lead Philadelphia to the NBA championship. He exclusively told Mirror Sport: “I hope so, man. I feel like this is their year.”
The 76ers are enjoying a stellar season as the franchise sits third in the Eastern Conference with a 45-22 record. They are being spearheaded by two superstars in Joel Embiid and James Harden, with the dominant center leading the NBA in scoring at 33.4 points per game - to go with 10.0 assists - while Harden is averaging 21.8 points per game and a remarkable 10.8 assists.
In fact, Embiid is making a strong push to finally win the coveted MVP after finishing second in the running behind Denver Nuggets ace Nikola Jokic last season. While the Serbian remains the favourite for the 2022/23 award, Embiid is on a tear and is considered by many to perhaps truly be the best player in the world.
He is making 47% of his midrange jump shots this season, which places him among specialists such as Devin Booker, Kawhi Leonard and DeMar DeRozan. The 28-year-old’s performances would undoubtedly make Iverson proud, and he clearly thinks the Cameroonian can deliver a title alongside Harden.
As the duo attempt to propel Philadelphia to its first championship since 1983, Embiid and Harden are on pace to accomplish a feat not replicated in the NBA since the 1981/82 season. They are attempting to become the first teammates to lead the league in both scoring and assists in the same season since George Gervin and Johnny Moore of the San Antonio Spurs did so.
Rather remarkably, both Embiid and Harden’s averages better the statistics posted by Gervin (32.3 points per game) and Moore (9.7 assists) at time of writing. The Spurs reached the playoffs but were ultimately swept in the NBA Western Conference Finals by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Los Angeles Lakers.
The 76ers will hope to avoid such a fate and move past both the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics to reach the NBA Finals. From there, Iverson is confident they can deliver a long overdue Larry O’Brien Trophy.
