Iverson: Would've been a big problem if coach asked me to rest
Allen Iverson may not have had an affinity for weight training or practice, but everyone knew what they were going to get when The Answer stepped on the court, and unless he was injured, the court is where A.I. would be.
"It's different to me. I never thought anything like that would happen," Iverson told Jalen Rose Friday night when asked about modern stars being rested when healthy.
"A guy like myself loved to compete night in and night out - tired, hurt, it doesn't matter."
Iverson, in his ESPN interview with Rose before being honored by the Philadelphia 76ers, did add, however, that he doesn't judge any of today's players or teams based on the issue of rest.
"To each his own. If it helps those guys and helps their team, then so be it."
As for what would have happened had a coach approached him about sitting out a game to rest, Iverson's response was peak A.I.
"It would've been a big problem. It would've definitely been a big problem. We would've definitely had it out, and hopefully I would've came out on top."
Over the course of his 14-year Hall of Fame career, Iverson suited up for 985 games and logged more than 40,000 minutes between the regular season and playoffs, playing in all 82 games twice, and missing seven games or less in six of his first 12 seasons.