5 greatest moments of Allen Iverson’s career

5. “The Crossover”

Blessed with unmatched speed and ball handling ability, Iverson struck fear in the hearts of those who were unlucky enough to have to guard him. His crossover dribble could have its own mixtape as he broke ankles time and time again. One of the highlights of his career came during his rookie season when the Philadelphia 76ers took on Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.

Still trying to make a name for himself in the league, Iverson got the ball at the top of the key, and Bulls head coach Phil Jackson called for Jordan to pick up Iverson. After a small, quick crossover to see if Jordan would bite, Iverson crossed him up again, then pulled up a drained a jumper.  It was a signal to the league that Iverson had arrived.

After that moment, plenty of other NBA players fell victim to the AI Crossover, though none bigger than the man who is considered the greatest player in the history of the game. At the time, Jordan was considered the premier perimeter defender in the league and had already been named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team eight times. It was the kind of fearless play that Sixers fans would come to expect from Iverson.

There are moments in sports that stand the test of time, and the AI-Jordan crossover is one of them.

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