One thing is clear when it comes to Allen Iverson—he’s more than comfortable in a shoe store.
The Basketball Hall of Famer met with Complex at Lapstone & Hammer, an iconic sneaker store in Philadelphia to talk hoops, fashion and shop for some throwback kicks. He even got into his role in the sneaker wars between his Reeboks and Michael Jordan‘s Nike brand.
In a modern world where everyone from Kendrick Lamar to Drake have their own signature shoes, Iverson is proud of his role in bringing hip hop style to basketball.
“Hip hop and basketball and like peanut butter and jelly,” he said.
Iverson also got nostalgic on more than one occasion. Iverson recalled his first pair of good sneakers, a pair of Nike Air Revolutions that were a size too big. Iverson’s mom bought them before an AAU tournament when he was 13. To pay for the shoes, he said, the family’s “lights got turned off.”
The incident made finding someone wearing his own signature shoe that much more meaningful for Iverson. He said he pulled over his car to watch the first time he saw a pair of Reebok Questions on someone’s feet on the street.
He was in my rearview. When I saw him I pulled over and I just watched him in my rearview until he was out of sight. That was the first time I saw a kid with my sneaks on. It was just a monumental moment, something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.
I was that kid that wanted the Jordans. I wanted them because Mike was my hero.
Iverson, who wore Jordans when he played at Georgetown, signed a deal with Reebok when he turned pro. Nike’s Jordan brand and Reebok’s Question and Answer lines did battle throughout Iverson’s career, and he said he always designed shoes with beating Jordan’s kicks in mind.
“I definitely think it was me and him first and second. That was always my competition,” Iverson said. “So when we went into meetings to create shoes I had to put my input in with him in mind knowing he was going to come out with something dope.”
Iverson was asked which current NBA player he compares himself to. The “obvious” answer is Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, saying he and Russ have the same “heart.”
Iverson even mentioned his announced appearance in Ice Cube’s 3 on 3 league, saying he’s ready to ball out if necessary.
“My whole thing is to coach,” he said. “But if stuff gets out of hand I’ll get into a phone booth and turn into that guy.
As far as the shopping itself, Iverson came away with four pairs—including the Reebok Answer shoes he wore to the NBA Finals in 2001.
Iverson said he had dozens of different versions of that shoe during the 2001 season, and seemed excited to get another pair in his collection.
The whole conversation is worth a watch, as Iverson reminisces about his favorite sneakers and talks about the NBA’s rules impacted his ability to express himself through fashion. He’s a thoughtful guy and great at looking back down memory lane without disparaging any of today’s players, which seems rare for a retired basketball player these days.
