Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson were two of the NBA’s brightest talents in the early 2000s.
They were not only prolific in terms of productivity, but their personalities seemed to extend beyond the game as well.
In the 2001 NBA Finals, Iverson’s Philadelphia 76ers were plainly inferior to O Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers, ending in a five-game loss for the Sixers.
Iverson stated on Instagram that O’Neal prevented him from earning an NBA championship, to which the big man replied that Iverson never needed a title ring.
“U don’t need one you one of the greatest and a hall of fame first ballot no questions asked.”
Shaq’s response to Allen Iverson’s IG post on not winning an NBA championship because of him and the Lakers
(via @alleniverson/ IG) pic.twitter.com/piLLnGCb6r
ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 3, 2023
Iverson played 14 seasons in the NBA and earned four scoring titles during that time.
His career peak came in 2001, when he led the league in both scoring and steals while winning the regular season MVP award.
His 76ers lacked offensive firepower because he was their only player to average more over 13 points per game, but they showed a lot of spirit in the championship series, even though the Lakers annihilated them.
Off the court, Iverson was a cult icon who maintains a sizable fan base to this day.
Of course, O Neal was one of the most dominant big men of all time, and some consider him the greatest center to ever play the game.
That victory in 2001 was one of three in a row he won alongside Kobe Bryant, and those three rings elevated him from a terrific player to a legend.
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