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NBA players have always been impactful towards the time’s culture. Whether it was Magic Johnson’s flamboyance or Michael Jordan’s swagger, top-name talents often set the cultural standard for the country. Surprisingly, the Twitter bird got the name Larry as its original owner was a huge fan of the Boston Celtics legend. Safe to say, the cultural impact of the NBA has become an everyday occurrence. But, without a doubt, one of the most impactful names to the community is Philadelphia 76ers legend, Allen Iverson.

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Over his illustrious career, Iverson set the standard for cool.?Whether the dreads or the personality, AI was for the people. So, with the rising popularity of Artificial Intelligence, it was no surprise that NBA fans took to the comments to pay homage to the original AI.

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AI vs AI

While everyone heard murmurs, the rise in popularity of AI was almost instantaneous. Even though Hollywood kept reminding everyone, the speed with which it has become an everyday item is shocking. And the scope is endless. Whether it be writing, image creation, art, or even music, AI has quickly become a staple in every industry. But, for NBA fans, there remains just one true AI.

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So, with the increasing popularity, fans quickly took to remembering AI, with some hilarious memes involved in the process as well. Because, let’s be real, very few players gave us moments as iconic as Iverson. From the iconic?practice?speech to crossing over with Michael Jordan, Allen had a scintillating career. And, he became an inspiration for millions.

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Names like Kyrie Irving and Dwyane Wade, who Iverson will induct into the Hall-of-Fame in a few days, have long talked about Iverson’s impact on their game and careers. The man for whom Kobe Bryant said, “We?re all fortunate that Allen Iverson is 6 foot 5, otherwise it would have been over for the league. Pack up and goodbye.”?

Watch This Story: $170,000,000 Worth Dwyane Wade Expects To Enjoy His Investment In WNBA Team More Than The One With The Utah Jazz In The NBA

So, it is unsurprising that fans had a litany of AI memories to choose from.

NBA Fans reminisce and joke, about Allen Iverson

For his career, Iverson won 4 scoring titles, an MVP, and finished with the 7th highest scoring average in NBA history. In a league dominated by Marvel-esque super athletes and giants, a 5’11 point guard making such an impact was unheard of. Fans were in complete agreement with his greatness. “Most underrated player of all time, ” one fan wrote.

And, fans were having none of the growing popularity of artificial intelligence. Comments like, “The only AI I acknowledge, ” and?“Allen Iverson was the definition of AI” became increasingly common. But, it is the NBA fandom, and jokes ran rampant in a matter of moments.

“He is the only one, he going crazy making all them pictures,” was one. Another fan joined in on the fun, “It does that?s why he is changing all the songs to mar it sound like another rapper.”

Read More: ?Urban Legend? ? Jamal Crawford Explains Why Allen Iverson Was His Inspiration

While the NBA fandom had a ton of fun at the expense of AI, the man remains a popular figure in the NBA community. Constantly uplifting younger athletes, Allen Iverson has a legacy like no other. While a fanbase that is constantly divided, Allen Iverson is one topic where everyone joins hands.

Maybe that is the best example of AI’s impact.

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Priyanshu

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Priyanshu is an NBA beat Writer at EssentiallySports, with a healthy command over the technical aspects of the sport. Priyanshu has creatively covered the often entertaining interactions between legends Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley along with in-depth analysis of the games. He was at the forefront of the 2023 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony, covering each and every aspect of the historic night in Springfield, Massachusetts. Furthermore, his article on Shaq and the UFC garnered close to a million pageviews. Moving away from the world of sports, Priyanshu is also an avid gamer, who can display other-worldly skills on NBA 2K.

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Pragya Vashisth

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