Allen Iverson and Lebron James: "The Answer Vs. The King"

Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories
Allen Iverson and Lebron James:

One is "The Answer" while the other is "The King".

Allen Iverson.          

LeBron James.

First of all, there is no such thing as the "best", so I say, Iverson and James are each possibly two of five best basketball players right now. One is nearing his prime, the other is already at it.

Maybe you disagree with me about whether AI is a top-five player or in his prime. It's fine to think that, but most people thought that when he was in Philly and don't think that much of Iverson since he left the 76ers. They think less statistics mean the player is fading. But Iverson is very much still in his prime. So I am just addressing that.

Now, Sunday on ABC, the Detroit Pistons played the Cleveland Cavaliers. The game was in the Pistons' hands the first three quarters, but in the fourth they collapsed. Iverson did not have an out-of-this-world game, but he was efficient and torched the Cavs at times. That is exactly what he has been doing since his 76ers years.

So why do people say the LeBron is a better basketball player than Iverson?

Just go back and look at his time in Philly—the Sixers beat the Cavs a few times. While with the Nuggets the last two seasons, the Cavaliers never beat the Nuggs. They actually blew out the Cavs a few times, and every time Iverson played huge! Just go to or to Google videos, or whatever, you'll see what I mean.

Iverson goes to the Pistons. They beat the Cavaliers the first time, Iverson scored 23 efficiently. In nearly every case, an Allen Iverson-led team has beaten a LeBron James-led team.

Although this time, the Cavs edged out the Pistons and Iverson in the fourth. But the game was over, all the Pistons had to do, and what they should always be doing, is feeding the ball to Iverson, and letting him create for himself as well as others. It was that exact reason that the Pistons stormed back and took the lead in the fourth.

Unfortunately, Pistons head coach Michael Curry seems to be a bit crazy, taking Iverson out in the fourth, not doing what wins games (when AI scores they win, when he doesn't they lose). Plus, the Pistons play better with Iverson and Hamilton together, but still, Rip is benched, not Stuckey.

So back to Iverson-James. These two have a whole story between one another. They go back to the Olympics in 2004, and should've been together in the past Olympics. They each showed up late one practice together in the Olympics. They have each started in the All-Star Game with each other several times. Their teams have gone back and forth.

It's pretty funny too. Iverson almost seems like a rival with James, AI went to the Nuggets, LeBron rivals with Melo, AI goes to the Pistons, the Cavs rival with the Pistons.

Each are very similar as well.

Iverson made a run to the finals and lost in five. LeBron made a run to the finals and lost in four. Each has made it to the playoffs, many times for Allen, but is knocked out in the first or second round. Each has never really been surrounded by much talent until this season. In the All-Star Games, Iverson's high-flying partner he throws ally- oops to use to be VC, now it's LBJ.

Each, are the two most unusual players and talents in basketball. Iverson is in a point guard's body, but can score as good as anybody ever has. While James is in a power forward's body, but has the speed of a small foward or even some guards.

It's hard to say which is better than the other because of age, position, playing style, and size. But there is no doubting these two are warriors.

But people must understand that the gap between these two is not as large as many think. To some, Iverson is better, to some LeBron is better, to some they are the same.

But many are talking about LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, instead of adding Iverson into the conversation. Why not? Iverson and the Pistons stopped the Cavs' winning streak earlier, while they are also the first team to defeat the Lakers in LA.  

So they think LeBron is better by a landslide. Whoever is better, it is not by much, if I were to make a rating like in video games, they would not be more than a point or two away from one another.

But why go with Lebron? Just look at them head-to-head. Iverson plays a monster game, and as a result, MOST of the time his team wins. Iverson is the NBA's best scorer. So he has scoring on Lebron. But he also has steals, speed, dribbling, FT's, shooting, and clutch play.

They are about the same in passing, although again, I would give an edge to "The Answer". While James has the low post game, rebounding, blocking, over Iverson.

As for leadership, they each have not showed any real signs of who is better. But just knowing that Iverson has kept his teams good for most of the time in his career, tells me he is a better leader so far. As an athlete, Iverson was named the best athlete overall ever.

So really what does Lebron have over Allen? Dunks? Fancy dunks? Highlights? Leaping ability? The media just makes him seem much better.

Guys are really going to go after me, or call me crazy, but that is because the media has hypnotized them so much. Look I am not saying anything bad on Lebron's part, remember I called him one of the five best basketball players earlier. All I'm saying is people must stop listening so much to media, which helps make these little Kobe-LeBron lovers and haters.

Allen Iverson. Lebron James. Two great players, talents, athletes.

Iverson has triumphed in most of their meetings, but LeBron won the last battle. The war is not over, their battles will continue, their love for each other will grow. As each of their stories continue, so will this one. Be ready for more, of The Answer and The King. Allen Iverson and LeBron James, the stories continue.

Load More Stories

Follow Detroit Pistons from B/R on Facebook


Out of Bounds

Detroit Pistons

Subscribe Now

We will never share your email address

Thanks for signing up.