"On the court, I don't respect anyone": Allen Iverson once made a blunt statement to fans after receiving flak for his personality   

Allen Iverson is one of the most beloved and respected figures in the basketball community. However, that wasn't always the case.

His outspoken nature, baggy clothes and demeanor weren't popular when he first entered the league. His personal history also raised questions among NBA teams about him and his character.

Earlier in his career, opposing fans booed Iverson and he went on the offensive and gave everybody a piece of his mind.

"Maybe people felt that Kobe should have won the MVP. That's their opinion." Iverson said in 1997, via the New York Times. "We play Cleveland (on) Tuesday, and I can't wait to play the Cavaliers. I've never had people boo me for playing hard. On the court, I don't respect anyone. I know a lot of these players have their own opinions of me. If that's what they believe, then fine."

NBA fans 'hurt' Iverson, said Sixers president

Allen Iverson wasn't as unbothered as he claimed to be. In 2022, former Philadelphia 76ers president Pat Croce revealed that all the boos hurt Iverson.

Unfortunately for the Cleveland Cavaliers, someone had to pay the price.

"For him to be booed, he doesn't understand because he's giving his best effort," Croce said, via the Philadelphia Inquirer. "That's what he always did. He left himself on the court. I think he was hurt, and that left a scar on him, not on players but on the city of Cleveland. He took it personal."

Iverson always stayed true to himself. Instead of changing how he dressed or talked, he made the league establish a dress code because of his league-wide cultural impact.

He constantly caught strays for his demeanor and actions off the court but others looked up to him because of how he worked. He is considered by many players as the standard in terms of handles and scoring, especially for smaller guards.

It took him more than he would've wished, but Iverson earned respect on the court with his grittiness, toughness and determination never to be beaten. He went down as one of the greatest players the game has ever seen, and an inspiration for those who looked or felt a different back then.