The Importance of Iverson

Dangit, people, I’m sorry to do this. Its not that I don’t care about music anymore, its just that I’m not actively thinking about it lately. But the brain never stops thinking about basketball, and this topic has really been occupying whatever leftover space I have after subtracting thoughts of moving and finding a new job.

Over on FreeDarko, there was a pretty good discussion going about Allen Iverson and what he means, both in relation to new media (eh) and the new basketball landscape. I’m interested in both of these somewhat (the latter more than the former), but what nobody seemed to be talking about, aside from maybe Shoals in a vague way, was how Iverson’s passing as a relevant player aligns perfectly against the new cultural-political landscape.

I recently finished reading Young, Black, Rich and Famous: The Rise of the NBA, The Hip Hop Invasion and the Transformation of American Culture by Todd Boyd, and Iverson is somewhat of the central figure in the narrative that traces the evolution of the black nba player from magic to isaiah to jordan and back to AI. On this arc, we see how Magic marked the beginning of racial barriers breaking, but still the prevailing attitude was that he was lucky to be there. Isaiah smoldered and was deeply resented for it, and Jordan was seen as the perfect anoydyne antidote. Plenty of style to go around, but not enough to freak out the mainstream. Iverson brought the hip-hop style and attitude finally to the fore, and his style was unapologetic. However, as the book ends there, we are now left to write the next chapter and it seems clear to me where it has gone.

If we look at the idea of Iverson as he stands from both his own creation and the media’s, what we’re usually talking about is a self-made, extremely self-determined and possibly self-centered player. He is legendarily tough for a guy his size, and has professed both a belief in his own abilities such that he did not feel the need for practice. Also, he was the most identifiably “hip-hop” player in the nba until Carmelo (more on this soon).  All this seems to add up to a player that should still be relevant, right? I mean, America hasn’t become less hip-hop, has it? If anything, we are knee-deep in it.

But I think the Obama era has fully eclipsed the Iverson era, and there was no more illustrative moment than when Obama won and Carmelo shaved his rows in celebration and a toast to responsibility. Shortly thereafter, AI was traded away from the Nugs and Carmelo and Chauncey went on a tear playing a much more balanced, team ball. No one feels that they can build a team with Iverson anymore and perhaps that is because it is clear in the NBA and perhaps also in America that there is shared responsibility in winning. Self-reliance is wonderful, but the Obama’s message has been more like “We’re all in this together.”

The sad irony is that the very people who are most often praising self-reliance and responsibility and personal liberty are the same ones that were blasting Iverson when he was playing. He was one of the best players of all time and was often genuinely funny and thoughtful. But unfortunately, Iverson’s time has passed.

Advertisement