If you grew up watching the NBA, everybody had a player they idolized and tried to replicate on the court. For current high school and college players, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a popular answer. The probable MVP winner played a herky-jerky style of offense that's easy to emulate on the court.
No knock on Gilgeous-Alexander, but his elite scoring relies on skill and finesse. The drive-heavy scorer relies on ballerina-esque movement paired with an elite mid-range jumper to reach 30 points in his sleep. According to his father, Vaughn Alexander, his son grew up an Allen Iverson fan.
Alexander appeared on Gilbert Arenas' podcast to discuss several topics. One was about who the 26-year-old grew up a fan of. Despite being a Toronto Raptors fan, he always cheered on the Philadelphia 76ers legend. Gilgeous-Alexander further explained his affinity for Iverson.
"My dad was a big fan, so his games were always on TV. When he came to Toronto as well. In that era, every kid's favorite player was Allen Iverson," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "How he played the game. His swag on and off the court. I'm not the only kid that loved AI. Definitely an influencer."
Considering Gilgeous-Alexander's praise for Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, it shouldn't be a shocker to see him also be a fan of Iverson. All three basketball legends were some of the greatest scoring guards in NBA history. Those were the archetypes he needed to master if he wanted to reach his ceiling. Considering he'll likely win MVP this season, fair to say he's reached those heights.
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander explains affinity for Allen Iverson
