Life’s full-circle moments are always a cause for celebration, even when you’re one of the best players to ever grace the NBA.
Allen Iverson has never shied away from being a trendsetter, both on and off the court.
According to Deadline, the NBA Hall of Famer has inked a new position with Authentic Brands Group (ABG) to help grow its footprint in entertainment.
Why This Is Monumental
As previously reported by AfroTech, Iverson managed to secure the opportunity of a lifetime during his days in the league.
Thanks to a previous deal with Reebok, he is locked in with the brand for life.
Oddly enough, ABG acquired the athletic wear company in 2022.
Per reports, the Virginia native could ultimately receive a $32 million pay day on his 55th birthday thanks to the Reebok endorsement, originally signed in 2001.
Additionally, Iverson receives an annual check of $800,000 as a result of the lucrative deal.
The New Partnership
Now, the saga continues as Iverson will help the company to develop opportunities across the entertainment, endorsement and strategic partnership spaces.
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“Authentic and I share a commitment to being number one and accepting nothing less,” said Iverson, Deadline reports. “Our shared values and their relentless drive to disrupt the branding industry make Authentic the ideal partner to take my brand to the next level.”
His Influence
When Iverson first joined the league in 1996 as a first-round, No. 1 draft pick for the Philadelphia 76ers, he hit the ground running and hasn’t let up ever since.
His nickname, “The Answer,” was given to him long before he made it to the NBA, yet today Iverson continues to have the perfect response for ways to push the culture forward.
As a pioneer for the marriage between mainstream hip-hop and professional basketball, Iverson is not only one of the greatest basketball players to have ever touch the court, but he single handedly changed the NBA as we know it forever.
The Legacy Continues
Beyond just the game, Iverson has become a cultural icon and an influence and inspiration to today’s generation of NBA stars.
“He represented what Black kids were all about, and he resonated with every inner-city kid in the world who had a struggle,” LeBron James once told Sports Illustrated. “Michael Jordan inspired me, and I looked up to him, but he was out of this world. AI was really the god.”
