Philadelphia 76ers To Honor NBA Great Allen Iverson With A Statue

The Philadelphia76ers are set to erect an Allen Iverson statue April 12 to honor one of the best players in franchise history

NBA great Allen Iverson is about to join rare company next month. 

The Philadelphia 76ers are planning to place a statue outside the arena April 12 to honor one of the best players in franchise history. 

“Allen Iverson is one of the greatest 76ers to ever live and one of the most iconic players in the history of the NBA, and we’re thrilled to honor his accomplishments with a well-deserved sculpture on Legends Walk,” Sixers co-owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer said in a statement. “Paying homage to the legends who paved the way for our franchise is not only the right thing to do; it’s an incredible source of inspiration for current and future generations of 76ers players and staff who enter our Training Complex every day, as well as kids in the city of Philadelphia and at large. We look forward to celebrating Allen’s legacy on April 12.”

Iverson joins the short list of players with their likeness outside of arenas where they once starred. Among them are Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat), Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers), Dominique Wilkins (Atlanta Hawks) and Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks). 

Iverson was the NBA's Rookie of the Year in 1996 before leading the Sixers to the Finals in 2001. They lost in five games to the Shaquille O'Neal and Bryant-led Lakers. Iverson is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame was named to the league's 75th Year Anniversary Team. 

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Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day NBA. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com