‘ALLEN IV3RSON’: A Story of Overcoming Adversity and Building Legacy
By Maurice Williams
There are certain people in life that have a sort of undeniability about themselves. No matter where you put them, what they are doing, they have a way of separating themselves from the pack and stand out. That undeniability defines Allen Iverson. From the time he discovered sports he was a force—whether on the football field or the basketball court he had a presence that stood out amongst everyone else and everyone could see he was going to be special.
Behind the growing larger than life figure Iverson was becoming, was an even bigger shadow cast behind him—moving from house to house, being homeless for extended periods of time, having to sell drugs just to make enough money to survive. Many know of the shining star that is Allen Iverson, but many don’t know what it took for him to reach the pinnacle as one of the best basketball players in the world. The struggle, the tears shed, and the uncertainty held within his heart about his future while sitting inside a jail cell for a crime he did not commit. This 3-part documentary ALLEN IV3RSON gives us the uncut, raw truth about the story of one of the most polarizing figures in NBA history.
The Man Off the Court
With interviews from his parents, siblings, extended family, friends and more, this documentary takes you to Iverson’s humble beginnings in Newport News, Virginia. Iverson grew up differently than most due to his mother being so young. The two of them essentially grew up together, and with his father not being around for most of his life it created a very tight bond between them. This love not just for his mother but his entire family is what continued to drive Iverson to excel at everything he did, with the weight of his loved ones rooted in his success.
IV3RSON shows the powerful community that worked hard to overturn the absurdly harsh verdict given to Iverson by a crooked judge and takes you on a thrilling redemption story. A man who had it all taken away from him was given one last opportunity to save his dream and change his family’s life. Thanks to the opportunity extended to Allen Iverson by coach John Thompson and Georgetown, Iverson was able to come back and show that he was still that undeniable—becoming the number 1 pick in the NBA Draft to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Man. The Legend
The documentary finishes by taking you through the legendary career of Allen Iverson—specifically taking a focus on how harsh the media was due to his past. They even discuss how the NBA fought to make Allen Iverson change who he was and how he managed to overcome all of the hate and continue to be his authentic self; a man that simply wanted to make his family proud.
Whether you are a fan of basketball or not, I implore you to go watch this documentary at your nearest convenience. This story is an unmatched story of rags to riches, of fighting through the odds and unapologetically being oneself through despite every adversity, despite what anyone says. The story of Allen Iverson is not a basketball story, it’s a story of breaking down every barrier in your way to let your light shine; a lesson that in today’s world that is important for everyone to hear.
ALLEN IV3RSON is available to stream now on Amazon Prime Video.
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