MVP season and trip to the finals (2000–01)

In game one of the 2001 NBA Finals, Iverson scored a playoff high 48 points and beat the heavily favored Lakers 107–101. Iverson led the Sixers to their first finals since their 1983 championship. it was the Lakers' only playoff loss that year. After hitting a crucial shot, he notably stepped over Tyronn Lue, adding insult to injury after breaking Lue's ankle. Iverson would go on to score 23, 35, 35, 37 in games 2–5, all losing efforts though the Sixers were not swept like many predicted. Iverson enjoyed his most successful season as an individual and as a member of the Sixers during the 2000–01 NBA season.During the 2000–01 season, Iverson led his team to wins in the first ten games of the season, and was named starter at the 2001 NBA All-Star Game, where he won the game MVP. The Sixers also posted a 56–26 record, the best in the Eastern Conference that season. He also averaged a then-career high 31.1 points, winning his second NBA scoring title in the process. Iverson won the NBA steals title at 2.5 a game. Iverson was named NBA Most Valuable Player; at 6 feet and 165 pounds, he became the shortest and lightest player to win the MVP award. He had 93 first-place votes out of a possible 124. He was also named to the All NBA First team for his accomplishments. In the playoffs, Iverson and the Sixers defeated the Indiana Pacers in the first round, before meeting his high flying nemesis at that time, Vince Carter. Vince led Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Semifinals but they are defeated by the 76ers in game 7 of their best of 7 series. In the next round, the Sixers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, also in seven games, to advance to the 2001 NBA Finals against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, featuring the duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal.

Iverson began using a basketball sleeve during this season during his recovery from bursitis in his right elbow. Other players, including Carmelo Anthony, and Kobe Bryant, adopted the sleeves as well, as did fans who wore the sleeve as a fashion statement. Iverson continued wearing his sleeve long after his elbow had healed. Some believed that the sleeve improved Iverson's shooting ability. Steven Kotler of Psychology Today suggested that such sleeves may act as a placebo to prevent future injuries.

Allen Iverson Documentary: The Answer

Philadelphia 76ers (1996–2006)

Allen Iverson was selected as the first pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1996 NBA Draft after two seasons at Georgetown. Listed at 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) tall, Iverson became the shortest first overall pick ever, in a league normally dominated by taller players.

Coming to a Philadelphia team that had just finished the previous season at 18-64, Iverson was only able to help the Sixers to a 22–60 record. But still, he was named as the 1996 Rookie of the Year and was also a member of the NBA All-Rookie First Team, after averaging 23.5 points per game, 7.5 assists per game and 2.1 steals per game. Iverson continued to help the 76ers move forward the following season, as they improved nine games to finish 31-51.

The lockout-shortened 1998-1999 season would mark great improvement for the 76ers. Iverson led the league in scoring averaging 26.8 points per game, earning his first scoring title and was named to his first All NBA first team. The 76ers finished the season at 28-22, earning Iverson his first trip to the playoffs. He started all ten playoff games and averaged 28.5 points per game despite being hampered by a number of nagging injuries. Iverson led the Philly to an upset over the number three seeded Orlando Magic in four games, before losing to Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers in the second round in six games.

Prior to the next season, Iverson signed a six-year, $70 million contract extension. That year, the 76ers would continue to improve under Iverson's leadership, as they finished 49-33, once again qualifying for the playoffs and this time earning the fifth seed, one spot higher than the previous year's sixth seed. Iverson averaged 26.2 points, 4.8 assists, 4 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game in the playoffs. Philadelphia would advance past the Charlotte Hornets in the opening round, but was eliminated again by Indiana led by Reggie Miller in the second round in six games for the second straight year.

That season, Iverson was selected to the Eastern Conference All-Star team for the first time of what would be 11 straight selections. He was the only player other than Shaquille O'Neal to receive a MVP vote that year. In the 2000 off-season, the 76ers actively tried to trade Iverson after his numerous disagreements with then-coach Larry Brown, and had agreed to terms with the Detroit Pistons before Matt Geiger, who was included in the deal, refused to forfeit his $5 million trade kicker. When it became apparent that Iverson would remain a member of the Sixers, Iverson and Brown put their differences aside to make another attempt at a NBA championship.

College Basketball

In his first season at Georgetown, Allen won the Big East Rookie of the Year award and was named to the All Rookie Tournament First Team. Iverson led the Hoyas to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament in that season, where they lost to North Carolina.

In his second and final season at Georgetown, Iverson led the team to a Big East championship and all the way to the Elite 8 round of the NCAA tournament, unfortunately, they lost to Massachusetts. He ended his college career as the Hoyas' all-time leader in career scoring average, at 22.9 points per game. Iverson was named as a First Team All American.

Following the conclusion of his sophomore year, Iverson declared for the NBA Draft. He was the first player to leave Georgetown early for the NBA under Coach Thompson.

Allen Iverson

Allen Ezail Iverson is an American former professional basketball player who played for four teams for 14 years. Allen was born on June 7, 1975. Iverson won the All-Star MVP award in 2001 and 2005 and he was an eleven-time NBA All-Star. He originally played shooting guard position but he absolutely can play point guard position.

Iverson was a dual-sport athlete and he attended Bethel High School in Hampton, Virginia. He played football and basketball and won the Division AAA Virginia State championship and he earned the Associated Press High School Player of the Year award in both sport. Iverson attended Georgetown University for two years after he graduated from high school. Playing in Georgetown University, he set the average for school record for career scoring with 22.9 points per game and won the Big East Defensive Player of the Year awards for both years.

Following two successful years at Georgetown, Iverson was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the number one pick of the 1996 NBA draft and dominate the league with his fast pace game and killer crossover. He outclassed the other big time rookies with his monster game such as Marcus Camby, Stephon Marbury, Ray Allen, Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant, proving the league that he is the league’s best rookie and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1996–97 season. He continue to dominate the league and won the NBA scoring title during the 1998–99, 2000–01, 2001–02 and 2004–05 seasons, proving that Iverson was The Answer for the prayers of the Philly fans and became one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, despite his small stature (listed at 6 feet, 0 inches). He averages 26.7 points per game in his regular season and ranked sixth of all-time, and his playoff career scoring average of 29.7 points per game following the league’s best, Michael Jordan. Iverson was also named the NBA Most Valuable Player of the 2000–01 season, beating Shaquille O’neal and Kobe Bryant and led his team to the 2001 NBA Finals the same season where the 76ers couldn’t defeat the Los Angeles Lakers. Iverson maintained his dominance in the league and then represented the United States at the 2004 Summer Olympics, winning the bronze medal. Iverson also played for the Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons and the Memphis Grizzlies, before ending his NBA career with his home team, the 76ers during the 2009–10 season.

He was rated by ESPN as the fifth-greatest NBA shooting guard of all time in 2008. Iverson officially announced his retirement from professional basketball on October 30, 2013.