“I do have money. A lot.” …no, this is not the first bar from a new AI rap endeavour… but it could be. If he’s bluffing, he may want to consider that.
When Allen Iverson agreed to play ball in Turkey for about 2 million a year, many speculated that he did so because he needed the money. Iverson does have five children and a supposed gambling problem to support, and considering the way some NBA players have been known to blow money, I suppose anything’s possible. AI denies the gambling problem, though, and claims he still has ”a lot” of the 200 million he earned during his 13-year NBA career. From the New York Times Off the Dribble blog:
Allen Iverson finally spoke from overseas soil after dodging the Philadelphia media, having refused interviews even when reporters came to Istanbul, Turkey to see him.
Philadelphia Magazine cracked Iverson’s no-media embargo, when its reporter hung around practice for three days. Iverson plays for Bestikas Cola Turka of the Turkish pro league. He’s in the first year of a two-year contract, estimated to pay him about $2 million per season.
Bestikas is 7-5, good for seventh place out of 15 teams. Iverson, who is noticeably rusty at age 35 according to reports, is averaging 3.2 points and 4.2 assists over six games.
Iverson was asked about many topics, ranging from whether he is playing in Turkey because he’s broke from gambling debts and bad investments to why he thinks he’s not in the N.B.A. anymore. He’s estimated to have earned $200 million through contracts, bonuses and endorsements over his 13-year N.B.A. career.
“Everybody is making a big deal out of the money and making $2 million — what do people want me to do? Sit at home and just watch basketball, or play at the YMCA?” Iverson said. “I had to do what I had to do to continue playing basketball…”
Iverson said he would be a fool to lose all his money because he has five kids. “One thing I do have, and I can say, is that I do have money. A lot,” he said.
Still, questions abound about Iverson’s finances. He recently opened a store on eBay, called Iverson Authentics, to sell personal memorabilia. Autographed photos go for $49.99, shoes from his N.B.A. days are $179.99, and an Michael Jordan-worn and an autographed Chicago White Sox jersey is up for a staggering $17,999.99.
Iverson admitted he likes to gamble for fun, but denies he has a problem. Gambling is illegal in Turkey.
He blames rumors about his gambling for leading to his demise with the Detroit Pistons in 2009. The Detroit Free Press ran a blog post about Iverson allegedly being banned from Detroit’s three casinos, then removed it from its site and archives.
Iverson feels the word was put out in the N.B.A., through the Pistons front office, that he was trouble.
“I think that situation basically destroyed my N.B.A. career,” he says. “I honestly believe that.”
The gambling and drinking rumors have haunted Iverson, and he said he doesn’t know why.
“You find out when dealing with people that doesn’t have nowhere near as much money as you, that a lot of people who don’t have that money and can’t fathom it, would never understand,” Iverson said. “If I had that much to lose and I know it, then it’s not a problem for me.”
Iverson continued, “I don’t remember getting any DUIs or going to jail for getting drunk in public. I’ve never been reprimanded or anything, with any team or anything like that, because of any drinking.”
Iverson’s family, which includes five children and wife Tawanna, which whom he has recently reconciled, is slated to move to Istanbul soon. Tawanna had filed for divorce last spring, but the long-time couple is trying to save their marriage.
Link.
Hitting up Iverson Authentics on EBay. BRB.
