Nba, Allen Iverson on Ja Morant: ‘True, he looks like me on the pitch’

The crush that enchanted the world, that race-5 flight against Minnesota become a must watch on any social network, he has also enchanted him, Allen Iverson. “Even I jumped like this, but he is taller” AI told with a hint of pride. He is Ja Morant, the phenomenon who is trying to bring Memphis to the second round of the playoffs, which exploded definitively in this 2021-22 closed at 27.4 points per game, the first call-up to the All Star Game and the prize of Most Improved which is a bit tight for him, because Ja has other ambitions (so much so that gave the award to comrade Desmond Bane).

similarity

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“Yes, we look alike, as 99% of the people I talk to say – says Iverson -. He has the same attitude as me, that same way of seeing things as I versus the world. And he makes his mates feel the same way I made mine feel. For me it was the best thing of my career knowing that my teammates were convinced that if they were on the pitch with me together we could beat anyone. In Memphis I see that same conviction, that same certainty that if Ja is on the pitch then they can do it against anyone ”. Iverson also sees differences, not necessarily in his favor: “Ja is taller (Iverson is 183cm, Morant 190, ed), his jump shot is completely different from mine and I wasn’t as good at using my left hand as he was. But he has the same aggression as me in attacking the iron. And he controls the games as I did, as public danger number 1 for the opponents “.

the comparison

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The investiture of Iverson is yet another endorsement of Morant’s superstar status, conquered with a fantastic season that is also confirming in the playoffs, where he has yet to play the best basketball. The comparison is obviously with the first Iverson, the one who landed in the NBA with the first absolute choice in the 1996 Draft was not afraid of anything, so much so that in his rookie year he managed to send Michael Jordan to the bar with a feint that remains among the pearls. of his career. Iverson in the third year, the one that Morant has just completed, won the title of king of the scorers with Philadelphia at 26.8 points on average but had not yet conquered the All Star, but thanks to the lockout that started 1998-99, AI’s third year, in February forcing the league to cancel the star game. Just in that third year Iverson played his first playoffs, dominating them with an average of 28.5 points but ending his adventure in the 2nd round against Indiana. From the point of view of the things done in the first three years of his career, Morant is further ahead: he ended the regular season at 27.4 points per game and already has an All Star Game appearance on his resume. Morant still has a long way to go to reach the Hall of Fame level reached by Iverson, for many the best ever considering the tonnage (AI reached 74kg, Morant touches 78) and also capable of leaving an indelible mark on culture, with the his way of wearing his hair still imitated today and his style that looked like that of a rapper. Morant certainly has the same audacity on the pitch, even if outside of him he seems more attentive to the rules than AI was. Certainly the phenomenon Memphis has fallen madly in love with is on the right track. Word of Iverson himself.