Basketball and hip hop have intersected for as long as both have co-existed. The NBA-hip hop synergy is at the heart of ESPN’s latest documentary, The Crossover: 50 Years of Hip-Hop and Sports. One NBA superstar embodied the intersection of hip-hop culture and sports activism. He has a prominent presence in the E60 documentary which Shaquille O’Neal highlighted.

He’s not the only one celebrating the impact of this NBA player on the league. One iconic hip-hop mogul even bestowed a new title on him. This won’t be the first time Big Diesel has hyped an old friend.

Shaquille O’Neal gives a nod to AI’s impact

After beginning his NBA career in 1992, Shaquille O’Neal dropped his debut rap album in 1993. Three years later, Allen Iverson stepped on the scene with the Philadelphia 76ers. While Shaq is testimony that hip-hop and basketball go together, The Answer would break the archetype of the NBA player by bringing hip-hop culture to the league.

With a documentary named The Crossover, ESPN couldn’t gloss over Iverson who coincidentally is known for his signature crossover move. A clip of the documentary featuring music greats like Rick Ross and Fat Joe elevating AI’s impact dropped.

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The man of the hour himself shared the trailer on Instagram with the caption, “I am who I am, I AM HIPHOP!! Always will be. Thank you HipHop, I love you back! Thank you @juliangoodenfilms & @espne60 @espn for letting the truth be heard. #TheCrossover.”

Shaq has always had a soft spot for on-court rival, Iverson. He was first on the scene sharing AI’s post on his Instagram Stories. The documentary also explores the Big Diesel’s influence in music and basketball. However, he chose to hype The Answer over himself.

He’s not alone. Joining the folks featuring in the film, other music stalwarts were also complimenting Iverson under his post. The biggest praise came from Snoop Dogg himself. Calvin Broadus declared Iverson the “Snoop dogg of the. N. B a.” with a series of emojis.

Resonating Shaq and Snoop were Matt Barnes, Miko Grimes, Knuckleheads host Quentin Richardson, and more artists.

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But this only the surface of the attention Iverson is getting.

The Allen Iverson Influence on the NBA

Throughout his career, the Answer’s impact was undebatable on the league. Refusing to filter out his personality, he shunned suits and normalized baggy and flashy clothes. His effect became immortalized in the rulebook when the NBA implemented a dress code to curb him in 2005.

The combined impact of Shaq and AI could be seen from their shoes alone. The duo shunned Nike to sign exclusive deals with Reebok during their rookie years. Iverson was wearing his signature shoes when he pulled the anklebreaker of the century on Michael Jordan.

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Though they were rivals on the court, Shaq will always hype Iverson. We can see their influence on the league on The Crossover when it’s available for streaming on ESPN’s online platforms.