The NBA games go hand in hand with trash-talking, wild cusses, racial slurs, homophobic and xenophobic language, etc. Sometimes it seems that the origin of the three-point line in basketball seems tangible; however, the origin year of trash-talking doesn’t even exist. The tactic comes in handy for the rookie players to establish their dominance in the league.
It’s easier to get under the opponent’s skin through trash-talking, and many celebrity players have taken advantage of this fact. Prominent legends like Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Allen Iverson have trash-talked their entire careers. Allen Iverson, aka ‘The Answer,’ rode down memory lane to recall one such incident. A page on X floated a note from Iverson about his debut back in 1996.
One of the reasons that Allen Iverson was so beloved is because he feared absolutely no one. In 1999, he talked about that mentality after an incident with Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman:
“Most of the talk was coming from Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. They were trying to… pic.twitter.com/BYCQTUDWzV
— The NBA Realist (@nbarealist23) December 12, 2023
Allen Iverson wrote, “Most of the talk was coming from Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. They were trying to intimidate me. Talking to me about shooting the ball and about being a rookie. A perfect example of why you can fear no one when you step onto the court.”
Adding to the narrative, ‘The Answer’ elaborated on how Dennis Roadman and Pippen wanted to break him mentally. However, Iverson seemed much clearer on the idea that one can’t get intimidated when entering the big leagues. Iverson’s feud with Roadman dates back to November 2, 1996, when the Philadelphia 76ers faced off against the Chicago Bulls.
While Iverson stood his ground and provoked the Bulls’ ‘Big 3’ with his words, the rookie couldn’t win the game. Iverson displayed a trailing play in that game with 3-8 from the 3-point range, 4-of-13 from the field, and a 15-point score. However, the feud didn’t end there; Roadman reignited the brawl in the post-game interview.
Dennis Rodman mocked Allen Iverson following their initial clash
Allen Iverson didn’t perform at par in his debut with the Sixers, and the Bulls left no chance to get back to him with mocking comments. In a post-game interview, Roadman said, “Iverson came in there thinking he was Jumanji and was going to control the whole forest and the wilderness.”
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Sixers trailed behind with 86-115 in Iverson’s debut. Although the player showcased a better performance in his second game with the Bulls, he still couldn’t defeat the Big 3. On December 21, 1996, he scored 32 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists.
The duo came close to trading punches in the face-off and had to be separated by their teammates. ‘The Answer’ went on to win many accolades along with a glorious NBA career. He was one of the greatest scorers and won the NBA MVP title in 2001. He was also an 11-time NBA All-Star.