Allen Iverson On NBA Comeback: 'I'll Play For Anybody'
If the NBA ever returns to an arena near you, the game may be welcoming back a familiar face: Allen Iverson wants back in.
"I'll play for anybody," Iverson told Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. About a year after grouching his way to the Turkish League, Iverson claimed that he is willing to help any team in any capacity.
Iverson's recent NBA experience includes being unhappy with his role on the Detroit Pistons; complaining about coming off the bench for the Memphis Grizzlies; and a star-crossed return to Philadelphia. His return to Sixers only lasted a couple months before he left to spend time with his ill daughter. After only playing in 10 games for Turkish club Besiktas, Iverson is apparently willing to play for any of the 30 NBA teams.
So what caused all the drama for Iverson over his last two seasons in the NBA? The 10-time All-Star told Spears that he was too distracted with his daughter's health and the divorce with his wife.
"That wasn’t me at all. Obviously, I was dealing with the situation with my daughter and going through a divorce, and I wasn’t there mentally," he said. "In my career those last couple years were so hard for me because I wasn’t there. Mentally, I wasn 't there."
The 36-year-old began publicly talking about making an NBA comeback in June, months after he returned to the United States to have calf surgery. Iverson expressed confidence that he can still play at an elite level, saying "It's me, that's what gives me confidence. I know what I can do."
Now that his kids are healthy and the divorce proceedings are going smoothly, Iverson says he doesn't have "anything to worry about but basketball."
But over the past couple years, Iverson has had to deal with a number of issues off the court. There have been several reports about the former MVP going through gambling and drinking problems (which he has denied). More recently, Iverson had a run-in with the law back in April and reportedly cursed at police officers who pulled over him while he was with a friend.
Whether or not all of his personal issues have been resolved, the league's perception of Iverson doesn't appear to have changed. No NBA team showed interest last season, and thus far the enthusiasm about Iverson's potential return has been only coming from one camp, his.
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First Posted: 10/27/11 07:14 PM ET Updated: 12/27/11 05:12 AM ET