How sad to wake up on Saturday morning and have an otherwise excellent-as-ever Bill Simmons NFL picks column interrupted by one harsh bummer of an assessment from an eyewitness in Turkey:
“[ESPN’s Kevin Wildes – you know, the dude that had Simmons’ ‘Book of Basketball’ shot on national TV] attended an Allen Iverson game in Turkey and reported, ‘Remember how you felt/feel when you see the video of him crossing Jordan?* Well, watching him in Turkey is the opposite of that. I’m filing this experience in the same bin as these great moments – watching Roy Jones get knocked out, watching Bo Jackson limp around the bases in a White Sox uniform, and watching my parents beg for change in Romania [which hasn’t happened yet, but you get the point].’
“Wildes believes that ESPN needs to rescue Iverson from Turkey and get him on a studio show pronto. I’m giving that one a vigorous ‘co-sign.’ Hell, I’d give him his own show called ‘Allen Iverson is Burning’ or ‘Excuse Me, I Have The Answer.’ Remind me to make this my life’s mission after he quits the Turkish team. Which should be in about two weeks.”
Let’s hope that’s not so.
Iverson’s Beşiktaş Cola Turka today host Trabzonspor, or rather more wordily, Medical Park Trabzonspor Basketbol, in Istanbul as the Eagles seek their first win in the A.I. Era. Surely this game represents an excellent opportunity to finally break through: At 1-5, Trabzonspor is dangerously close to the relegation zone as they sit in 13th place of 16 top-division teams; average point differential has been minus-13.3 points.
Tipoff time is 4pm CET (10am EST).
* Here’s video of Iverson-crossing-Jordan:
Tags: Allen Iverson, Beşiktaş Cola Turka, Bill Simmons, Bo Jackson, ESPN, Kevin Wildes, Medical Park Trabzonspor, Michael Jordan, Roy Jones, TBL, YouTube
here’s a cool music video starring AI:
better change the name of this site into IVERSONINEUROPE.COM
because every secound news is about him
boooooring
Not sure what the meaning of this article is. I don’t see how 14 points 8 assist in a win is like getting knocked out. only taking 9 shots for AI is proof that he knows how to share the ball. AI is not in Europe because he got knocked out. 14 points and 5 assist a game on 10 shots is effective on any team, and that is what he did last year even with all of the personal attacks on his career and future. AI is in Europe because he has a bad reputation, which is understandable when the media scrutanizes your every move. You did not mention one posative thing about him. Yet you went overseas to watch one of the greatest bballers to ever do it display something that everyone in America claims he is the extreme opposite of. A HUMBLE SUPERSTAR that is willing to put his EGO asside to do what is best for his TEAM. The only thing that is sad is that the only positive slant I have seen on him has been from Eropean media.
AI had to go overseas to be appreciated for something that he has always done. He did the same in Detroit, Memphis and Philly, were at most he took 12 shots a game, which was an obvious sacrafice, but he was villafied while his replacements have lead there teams no where, and produced less than a humble star whom was willing to sacrafice for his team. Stuckey shot 37% from the field last year and EVERYONE who played with him had there production go down and the only thing that went up for him was minutes on the floor and shot attpemts, but AI is painted as the problem because he spoke up against coaches that still to this day have never had a winning season. 12 years as a top performer and single handedly taking a team from a mainstay at the bottom of the pack to a perinial playoff team should give him a right to speak his mind. Hell the coaches could have learned something from him if they had got off there high horse.
AI was the scapegoat now we are gonna let a Europian league show the world that they are more accepting and open minded than us.NOW THAT IS A SHAME!!!!!
This man is just now getting into basketball shape and that’s a good thing! He has not done any serious playing in months before joining Besiktas so give him more time, you will see more 18+ point games from him and hopefully more wins.
I just hope the coach involves him more in the offense and let him touch the ball more, you all saw he got 8 assists in this game. I assume his assists will go up higher if this happens.
Good Luck A.I. Alot of us are rooting for you!
European teams do not play ISO ball. They do NOT just give the ball to one player and tell everyone else to watch. NBA basketball is years behind the European game in coaching and tactics and in offensive strategy.
They don’t play NBA ball in Europe. All these NBA fans that keep saying “his coach just needs to give him the ball” in these comments are so funny. The European game is years ahead of the NBA game in development. They stopped playing that archaic NBA style of “basketball” years ago in Europe.
If Iverson can’t adjust to the modern style of basketball that is played in Europe these days then that is HIS problem, not his coach’s problem.
@ Milos – Actually at this stage of his career it is a GOOD thing for him to play in Europe. He will be forced to adapt to a team game and be effective in less minutes. Hopefully after 2 years if the NBA is an option he will have changed his game and mentality enough for teams to take a second look at him.
That being said, Europe is not ahead of the U.S. in basketball, because a lot of college teams employ that style. The NBA just uses more ISO, but the more seccessful team use a more balanced attack. The Celtics, Spurs and Pistons are good examples of this.
I agree with your post. But regardless, 90% of NBA teams play a very outdated and archaic basketball. This is not used in Europe anymore.