Allen Iverson talks iconic Ty Lue play, March Madness memories and Pepsi partnership in exclusive interview

With March Madness upon us, I had the opportunity to speak with NBA legend, Hall of Famer, MVP and four-time scoring champion Allen Iverson in an exclusive interview about his career, March Madness and his current partnership with Pepsi for the Zero Right Bracket Challenge. 

Iverson, known for his killer crossover and elite scoring ability – especially at his size, has one extremely iconic moment from his NBA career, when he hit a dagger in the 2001 NBA Finals over Tyronn Lue to help give Philly a 1-0 series lead over the Los Angeles Lakers. 

The shot ended up giving NBA fans one of the most iconic photos – and reactions – of all time, as Iverson stepped over Lue following the play. I asked Iverson if he knew at the time that this play would become such a major moment in NBA history. 

“Hell no,” Iverson said. “I was just playing basketball and competing against a true warrior. A true warrior. That’s how I look at Ty Lue. Someone that’s a tough fighter, competitor. From my reaction, the way it all ended up, you could tell from how everything went down what he put me through for me to react like that. That’s how tough, and a problem, he was for me.”

Iverson finished that game with 48 points, one of the greatest single-game NBA Finals performances we’ve ever seen. While Philly didn’t go on to win the series, Iverson still created a moment that will live forever. 

One of the most impressive scorers in NBA history, Iverson averaged 26.7 points per game for his career, making 11 All-Star teams in the process. 

I had recently spoken to Jamal Mashburn, who complimented Iverson as a scorer, saying he thinks he could average over 40 points per game in today’s NBA. While Iverson didn’t say that he could do that, he did appreciate the compliment from Mashburn. 

“It’s a great compliment,” Iverson said. “That’s my man, ‘Mal, and he know basketball.” 

As someone who still watches and appreciates the game, Iverson shared some of his favorite players to watch in today’s NBA, as well highlighting many guards that play similar to the way he approached the game as a scorer. 

“I love Steph [Curry],” Iverson said. “I love Kyrie [Irving]. There’s a lot of guys. I love Dame (Damian Lillard). I love Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander].”

“Luka [Doncic] is one of my favorites,” Iverson said. “I love watching Luka. I always get my popcorn and get ready when it’s Luka time.”

For more on Iverson’s favorite players – and his thoughts on MVP candidate Shai Gilgoues-Alexander, make sure to check out the full interview above!

Pepsi is partnering with DraftKings Sportsbook to bring the Zero Right Bracket Challenge to fans this March. Fans can play for a free chance to win $100K by attempting to get ZERO picks correct in their bracket this March. 

While Iverson doesn’t have a strategy in place to get every pick wrong this March, he is excited to partner with Pepsi to help grow the game of basketball. 

“Just a beautiful thing,” Iverson said of his partnership with Pepsi and the Zero Right Bracket Challenge. “Just me being who I am and then my experience in March Madness. I think both sides, just a great collaboration for who I am to the sport and what Pepsi is trying to do when it comes to our game. Just a beautiful thing.”

During his two-year collegiate career at Georgetown, Iverson participated in the NCAA Tournament twice, but he did not end up making a national title game. The legend reflected on his March Madness runs, honestly telling what he remembers most from them. 

“I don’t want to make it a negative, but it is,” Iverson said. “Just not advancing, that was heartbreaking for me. Because you have that dream. You want to get it done. You have the personnel to get it done. You believe you have everything and know the night before that it was gonna happen. And when it didn’t happen, it was heartbreaking for me.”

It just goes to show how important the NCAA Tournament is to college athletes, and why it is just so hard to predict who will win – and even who will lose – in your bracket. 

If you think you have a better shot at picking the team that will lose each game, the Zero Right Bracket Challenge is a great chance to put that to the test. 

To watch the full conversation with Iverson, make sure to click the Youtube link above!