The NBA has changed quite a bit in the past three decades. Most notably, offense is up. Way, way up.
It’s unsurprising then that the top scorers of years past are wondering just how many points they could put up in the modern NBA.
NBA legend Allen Iverson was asked just that while appearing as a guest on Shaquille O’Neal’s The Big Podcast with Shaq, and after a little bit of egging on from Shaq and co-host Adam Lefkoe, answered honestly.
“Ain’t that tootin’ my horn?” Iverson said sheepishly, but continued after receiving some encouragement from Shaq.
“I lost the scoring title to Kobe the year he averaged 35 [points per game]. I averaged 33,” Iverson said. “If I were to play in this era, where it’s wide open. If I could average 33 in a season [back then], I’m just going to take it up to 43. I know 10 points more.”
Shaq quickly agreed.
Allen Iverson says he would average 43 points in today’s NBA 👀
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 21, 2024
(🎥 @bigpodwithshaq / https://t.co/fvZKTONJGT) pic.twitter.com/1NXO4F60mA
Iverson is referring to the 2005-06 NBA season when Bryant averaged 35.4 points per game against his 33.0 average. LeBron James, then in his third season, was the only other player in the league to clear the 30-point mark. Last year, six players across the league averaged 30 or more points per game.
