By james art The Philadelphia 76ers never won anything during Allen Iverson’s tenure with the team. However, any Sixers fan who has followed the team over the years will never forget the countless moments The Answer created during his time in Philly.
The Philly sports legend — who now has his own statue outside the team’s practice facility — is known for his dribbling, scoring and unbeatable confidence on and off the hardwood. Many see him as the catalyst for the NBA’s eventual shift from big men being the focal point of the offense to guards and pivot players.
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While Iverson was forgettable as a player, many other guards were also fun to watch in the early 2000s. Kobe Bryant, Manu Ginobili and Steve Nash were some of the most exciting backcourt players during that time.
Gilbert Arenas is also an exciting guard to watch, although he is now more known for making outrageous claims. His latest will have Philly fans up in arms.
Gilbert Arenas claims he could average more than Allen Iverson did with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2001.
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In a recent Gil’s Arena episode, the former Washington Wizards guard talks about the 76ers, specifically the 2001 team that reached the NBA Finals to face the Kobe and Shaq-led Los Angeles Lakers.
He claims that given how well the Sixers performed that year, he insists he would have averaged more than Iverson’s stats that year (31.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.6 APG, 2.5 SPG).
However, Vishvesha Kumar of Fadeaway World immediately dismissed Arenas’ claims, bringing up his stats in the 2005-06 season, where he averaged his best statistical season:
This season, he shot 44.7 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from three-point range, while making 20.9 shots per game, including 6.8 three-point attempts and 10.0 free throw attempts. Arenas also had teammates like Karen Butler and Antawn Jamison, who recorded over 20 points and 17 points per game, respectively, giving him support on offense.
Arenas has built a reputation as a former player turned analyst who isn’t afraid to make outrageous claims. While fans who have seen him play will agree that he is a great point guard, they will argue that there is a reason AI is more beloved in the NBA than he is.
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