Photo courtesy Maurice Cheeks
The Drexel University women’s basketball team hired Allen Iverson, the 2001 National Basketball Association’s Most Valuable Player award winner, to be an assistant coach for the 2016-2017 season on March 28.
After receiving and considering offers from various high school and college programs, Iverson decided to join Drexel’s staff.
Drexel’s head coach Fenise Fillon will be in Europe for the majority of this coming October on a recruitment trip, so Iverson’s first role with the Dragons will be to run practices in Fillon’s absence.
Despite his coaching responsibilities during practices, Iverson refuses to sit on the Dragon’s bench during games in the regular season and instead is demanding that he be given a diamond-studded throne to lounge on.
“I don’t know any Olympian that sits on the bench. I don’t know any All-Star that sits on the bench. I don’t know any former MVP that sits on the bench. I don’t know any three-time scoring champion that sits on the bench. Why Allen Iverson?” Iverson asked.
In response to Iverson’s demand for special treatment, the remainder of Drexel’s coaches voted to suspend Iverson from participating in game day activities. Despite his ban from coaching on game day, Iverson will still be responsible for running team drills during practices.
Iverson told reporters he was not pleased when he learned the Dragons would not allow him to coach during games.
“Not the game. We talkin’ ‘bout practice man. How silly is that? We’re not even talkin’ about the actual game… the actual game, when it matters. We talkin’ bout practice, ” Iverson said.
Iverson, a former star for the 76ers, had not been associated with a basketball organization since his one-year stint in Turkey during the 2010-2011 season. He last played for the 76ers during the 2005-2006 NBA season.
Despite early disagreements with his associates on the coaching staff, Iverson is pleased to be back in Philadelphia, he said.
“It feels great to be back in Philly. It’s where I got my start in the pros, and it’s where I’ll get my start as a coach. This city is like a second home to me man,” Iverson said on Tuesday.