Have you ever watched NBA? When you watch NBA, you will see lots of giants such as Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio Spurs, LeBron James in LA Lakers, and Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee Bucks. These guys are at least 6’8. But there were many short basketball players in NBA history especially Allen Iverson who played for Philadelphia 76ers and got MVP in 2001. In this post, I am going to talk about Allen Iverson, the small giant in NBA.

Allen Iverson was born in Hampton, Virginia, 1975. When he was a high-schooler, he played two sports, basketball and football. He was also really good at football as a quarterback. Although Iverson was so good at football, he decided to play basketball in college and scored 23 points per game. In 1996, Iverson joined NBA draft and Philadelphia 76ers selected him as the first pick. When he made a debut, a lot of fans concerned because of his small size and skinny body. But he proved his skill and capability as a result. One of the moments that showed Iverson’s fearless mentality was when he confidently faced Michael Jordan early in his career. Despite being much smaller, Iverson attacked his defender and played without hesitation, proving that confidence and skill can challenge even the greatest players. Even though Iverson became NBA star, 76ers still didn’t go to playoffs or eliminated in 1^st or 2^nd round because nobody helped Iverson in offense. But in 2001, Sixers became different team and they got 56 wins against 26 loses. Iverson improved again he averaged 31.1 points per game and won 2001 MVP. In 1^st round, Sixers won against Indiana Pacers in 4 games but they played 7 games on 2^nd round and Conference final against Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks. It made all Sixers players were exhausted. They faced LA Lakers they had Kobe Bryant and Shaq. Sixers played 7 games on 2^nd round and Conference final, while Lakers went to final without losing. Many NBA fans expected Lakers will crush Allen Iverson. But in game 1, Iverson scored 48 points including 30 points in first half. Thank of his performance, Sixers defeated Lakers in overtime. Although they lost in final, his performance proved that size was not a limitation for him; instead, his confidence, skill, and competitive spirit allowed him to compete against the league’s biggest stars on the biggest stage. After 2001, his performance was still top of the NBA, but not like 2001. He played for Denver Nuggets and Detroit Pistons. In 2013, he retired.

Although some critics pointed to his field goal percentage or ball-dominant style, Allen Iverson changed the way people viewed smaller players in the NBA. In a league dominated by height and physical power, he proved that speed, skill, and fearless confidence could compete with size. His 2001 season and Final performance remain one of the most iconic moments in basketball history. Iverson did not just become a superstar — he became a symbol of belief for undersized players everywhere. That is why Allen Iverson will always be remembered as a true “small giant.”