Iverson’s Frustration Grows
Posted by Media Outrage on November 7, 2009
Allen Iverson is very disontent with coming off-the-bench instead of being in the starting five. He had a problem with it while in Detroit last year and still has an issue with being a six-man.
Via Sports Yahoo:
The Memphis Grizzlies started their game against the Golden State Warriors with Allen Iverson(notes) still on the bench. And after the Grizzlies lost again, Iverson’s feelings about not starting also remained unchanged.
Iverson totaled 18 points, seven assists and four turnovers in a respectable 27-minute performance during the Grizzlies’ 113-105 loss on Wednesday. But while his playing time increased by 10 minutes from his debut two nights earlier in Sacramento, Iverson still wasn’t happy about two things:
He came off the bench.
And the Grizzlies lost.
No one, Iverson said, should be surprised by his frustration, even Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins.
“The focus is on it because everybody in this whole world knows that I have a problem with it,” Iverson said. “That’s why it’s an issue. It’s easy to say I’m selfish. My response to that is it’s something I’ve never done. And if we had success with us doing it than obviously I’d want to do it because we are winning basketball games. But if we had no success when we do it, than obviously I would have a bigger problem from the beginning.
“This media thing is so big. Coach played the game before. He’s seen the things that I’ve done. He knows that I’ve never come off the bench ever in my whole career. So he knows that’s something I’m not accustomed to or something I would want to do. He listens to talk radio and TV, what people say, family members, friends – everybody knows that it’s not something I want to do.”
Hollins was visibly frustrated while talking with reporters before the game. He initially said he didn’t want to discuss Iverson’s situation, but later answered some questions.
“My frustration is that I have to talk about Allen Iverson at every press setting,” Hollins said. “I want to talk about the Memphis Grizzlies and us as a team. And even when Allen was out, I was happy to talk about Allen. So, that’s my frustration. I just want to talk about the Memphis Grizzlies. If Allen plays well and you guys want to ask me about Allen, that’s great. Or if he plays poorly and you want to ask me how poorly he played, that’s great, too.
“But what he says and what he’s thinking? My job is to coach the team as a unit. I have to make decisions and all the players in that locker room are not going to be happy about it. But it’s my job to do the best that I can and if they don’t feel like I’m doing it than ownership is going to get rid of me and that’s the way it’s always been through history.”
Hollins didn’t speak to Iverson directly after the veteran guard voiced his initial frustration following Monday’s game. But another team official did tell Iverson he shouldn’t have been so quick to complain given that he had missed all of the preseason, in addition to the Grizzlies’ first three games, because of a hamstring injury.
“I know there are kids out there watching my every move, watching if I’m sitting over there pouting,” said Iverson, who had started all but five of his 832 games prior to last season. “My son is watching the same thing. I don’t want to be no guy that is causing the distraction to this squad. But everybody knows I’d be fake if I said, ‘I’m so happy with everything that’s going on.’ It would be too fake. I wouldn’t play that game.”
Iverson isn’t surprised his frustration has become a big story. His stay with the Detroit Pistons was cut short last season after he said he would rather retire than play a reserve role.
“If Allen Iverson says something that anybody doesn’t agree with, yes, it’s a big deal,” Iverson said. “That’s what [the media] loves, man. Like I said a million times, it ain’t no good story if it’s a positive story on Allen Iverson. You don’t want to do nothing about me for no charity or nothing like that. You blow it up or something like that. It sells, don’t it? Well, in this country it does.
“I talked to [reporters] for 30 minutes [in Sacramento], and the only thing that came out of it was about my butt being on the bench. Worldwide, it’s the negative comments. If I talk to somebody for 30 minutes and I’m borderline negative on anything I talk about, they’re going to write that story about that quote that I made. They’re not going to write anything about anything else. I would think at this point in my career that stuff would get old. But it don’t.
“As bad as people want me to be some selfish guy or selfish person, I signed here and came here to help these guys win basketball games. It’s a young team. There is a lot of talent on the team, and I just feel like I can help, and I will continue to do that.”
The Grizzlies signed Iverson to a one-year, $3 million contract after being the only NBA team to express serious interest in him. Even so, Iverson said he wouldn’t have been comfortable coming to Memphis if he thought winning wasn’t a priority. The Grizzlies, who are the league’s youngest team, dropped to 1-4 with the Golden State loss.
“Do we want to develop kids or do we want to win basketball games?” Iverson said. “Obviously, the development will come with playing and practice and being in an NBA environment. But do we want to win basketball games? I think that’s the most important thing. From everything that I’ve experienced from being in the NBA, guys want to win basketball games. Guys want to hold that trophy up at the end of the year. That’s what we lace them up for.
“Now if they would have told me … even when I was 21 coming into the league, that, ‘This is a rebuilding process Allen, we’re not trying to win right now, we’re going to try to develop you and the other young guys,’ it wouldn’t have sat well with me.
Mediaoutrage- We believe Iverson wants to win but would still be very discontent with winning while coming off the bench. This is really A.I.’s last chance at maintaining a career in the coveted NBA due to the fact that he’s aging and is no longer the same wrecking force he used to be. Once you develop a bad reputation amongst owners as a selfish player it’s kind of a wrap. If we were his agent, we’d be telling him to keep his mouth shut and to give 110% when on the floor.
November 7, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Allen should be very lucky he still have job, just keep playing good basketball and in time he will be in the starting five. Look what happened to Latrell Sprewell too much drama followed him and in the end no team wanted to sign him. Sprewell is now having finally problems.
November 7, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Time to retire Iverson….you had a good run. I would feel some type of way. I seen you play at your best!
November 7, 2009 at 4:23 pm
@ MO… What you said
November 7, 2009 at 8:14 pm
Nah MO yall are wrong about AI’s ability. He’s still capable of dropping 40 on any given night. The teams that he has played for during the past few years didn’t require him to do that. When he was with the Nuggets and Pistons he wasn’t their number one option and didn’t have to carry the load offensively. But I agree that he should fall back and just play ball.
November 8, 2009 at 12:21 am
HMMM!!
November 8, 2009 at 1:46 am
Ai is a starter not doubt about it ..He is not a 6 man for any team ..AI career is being shadow by his off he court antics and he should of cleared it up a long time ago …His failures is a result of “NOT LISTENING “…Listening is more important then you ever think it is ..He never been disciplined in his personal professional life ,so he does not how to ajust to it ..Its so sad he had to leave the league on these terms..
Those YES PEOPLE killed his own career..
November 8, 2009 at 7:28 am
AI, its a wrap man. AI is a good basketball player but at 34 years old and 6 feet tall, Its a wrap. AI’s mentality stopped him from winning a Championship. No matter how good you are, no one wins a Chanpionship by themselves, especially a team that has a Point guard who takes 51 percent of the shots, It has never happened and probably never will.
November 8, 2009 at 8:31 am
I love AI but I too think it’s a wrap for him. He did have a good run though.
November 8, 2009 at 11:16 am
It’s hard to stay focused, when you are discontent with a situation. I hope he can regain his balance.
dt
November 8, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Its a wrap he’s done
November 8, 2009 at 10:26 pm
AI is still the man hanging with the youngin’s no problem.
The media has been ripping him a new one since he went to the Nuggets. Let the man shine!
November 9, 2009 at 2:48 am
I AGREE @ Ali but when you are missing practice over strippers then that’s a problem ..The league is sick of him ..They tired every alcohol program there is and the bought in Veterans to help him out personally..He values his friends and groupies over everything and it cost him his career..So sad when you still got talent but can’t get a real contract..