Allen Iverson’s EMOTIONAL Letter to Kobe Bryant: Allen Iverson paid tribute to his late friend, 1996 draftmate LA Lakers legend Kobe Bryant in an open letter that The Players Tribune published. The piece that came out on Aug. 24, titled “Dear Kobe,” opens with the former Philadelphia 76ers star reminiscing about the first time he saw an 18-year-old Bryant compete against Michael Jordan. Bryant and Allen Iverson were both in the 1996 NBA draft class.
Iverson went No. 1 overall, and Bryant went No. 13. They both ultimately became NBA legends too. Iverson is a Hall of Famer as he was the 1996-97 Rookie of the Year, the 2000-01 MVP, and an 11-time All-Star. Iverson also led the NBA in steals per game three times and in points per game four times. He ultimately averaged 26.7 points per game and 6.2 assists in his career.
Iverson’s points-per-game average is seventh all-time in NBA history, and his steals-per-game average (2.2) is ninth all-time. Bryant is also a Hall of Famer as he was an 18-time All-Star, the 2007-08 MVP, a five-time NBA champion, and a two-time NBA Finals MVP. He also led the NBA in points per game twice and earned All-Defensive team honors 12 times. Bryant averaged 25 points per game, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists for his career. Additionally, his 33,643 career points are fourth all-time. Iverson and Bryant also met in the NBA Finals once in 2001, as the Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in five games 4-1. Bryant averaged 24.6 points per game, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists in the series while Iverson averaged 35.6 points per game and 5.6 rebounds. In a piece that came out on Aug. 24, Iverson wrote a letter to Bryant in The Players’ Tribune.
“The first time I saw you going up against Black Jesus (Michael Jordan), when you were 18 years old, I knew you were a killer,” Iverson wrote. “That’s when I realized you were going to be a legend in this game. You were going hard at Mike that night. No fear whatsoever. I mean, I knew from passing you in traffic over the years that you were a dog. But when I saw you going at Black Jesus like that?
That’s when I knew you were a kindred spirit.” Iverson also wrote, “You’re not here on this earth anymore, but you’re not gone, either. You just say the name Kobe Bryant, and the memories come back in a split second. I can see you pointing your finger up in the air, walking off the court after you dropped 81 on Toronto. I can see you jumping up in the air just like MJ after you won the title.” To close out the letter, Iverson said, “I don’t really know how to say goodbye to an NBA legend, a father, a husband, a friend. I don’t really have the words. All I know is … I love you, brother.” Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant are NBA legends.
Their respect for each other was evident too. Iverson tells inspirational Kobe story from rookie year All credit goes to: Allen Iverson The Players Tribune The National Basketball Association
