Once upon a time, former Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson delivered one of the most famous press conferences of all-time when he delivered his legendary practice rant. Imagine Iverson’s surprise when he was asked to talk about practice once again.
Iverson was at a charity game recently and in a much more relaxed setting when he was asked about his favorite subject. You can almost see the flip being switched in A.I. as he channeled his younger self in talking about practice. (Be careful because the video is slightly NSFW.)
Was at @alleniverson press conference last night and he had another legendary response when asked about practice pic.twitter.com/FUgTndx6Wi
— Blake Cohen (@2TallBlake) August 6, 2016
Not bad, but let’s see how it compares to the original…
The story behind the rant and what Iverson was dealing with at the time (as referenced in his more recent version) is fascinating as there’s much more beneath the surface. Still though, it’s one of the most iconic (or infamous, depending on your point of view) press conferences in the history of sports. Perhaps the most amazing thing is that it happened 14 years ago.
Could you imagine the reaction and fallout if Iverson’s practice rant had happened in the age of social media?