"At some point, they're gonna turn on y’all" - Andre Iguodala on Allen Iverson's warning about being careful who they "get cool with"
allen-iverson--andre-iguodala
Andre Iguodala had the privilege of playing alongside Allen Iverson in his first few years in the NBA. While "The Answer" had developed somewhat of a reputation as difficult to work with, Iguodala has always praised Iverson for teaching him the ropes, even after he received a punch from his former mentor for fanboying over Rip Hamilton.
In a recent appearance on the podcast of another of A.I.'s former teammates, Carmelo Anthony, Iggy shared one of the most important lessons the Philadelphia 76ers legend taught him.
"I think for all of us, he did a really good job for warning us of what was to come," he said. "He prepared us for the downfall. He's like, 'Listen, man. At some point, they're gonna turn on y'all. Be careful who y'all get cool with."
The love-hate relationship with Philly fans
According to Iguodala, he was an avid newspaper reader during his time with the Sixers. But Iverson advised him against it because of how Philadelphians could be quick to turn against its hoops stars, especially if they play badly in losses. It seems Iggy's story validates the widespread belief that Philly fans are one of the most obnoxious fans in the world.
It also didn't help Iverson's case that he was a lightning rod for criticism, regardless of whether he was doing well or not. Interestingly, the 11-time All-Star was a key reason the Sixers made a trip to the Finals for the only time since 1983. So, some of the carping directed at him has definitely been unwarranted.
Perhaps he didn't need any validation from other people, considering that the voices that matter the most, particularly his allies, have spoken highly of him.
Iguodala tuning out the noise
Fortunately for the 2015 Finals MVP, he had someone like A.I. to mentor him. He continued his story by stating that the Sixers were not playing to win during his time there, and he was getting the blame for not becoming the superstar that some envisioned him to be. From Iguodala's perspective, it makes sense then how Philadelphia eventually became synonymous with tanking during the "Trust the Process" era.
Iggy eventually found himself in a favorable situation, suiting up for the Denver Nuggets in the 2012-13 season before becoming an integral part of the Golden State Warriors dynasty that won four championships between the 2014-15 and 2021-22 campaigns.
As for the Sixers, they have yet to make it out of the conference semifinals since Iverson steered them to the 2001 Finals. It remains to be seen if the reported arrival of Paul George will change that, although the star swingman might have to take some advice from the A.I. if he wants to thrive in Philadelphia.