Earlier this year on his Mind the Game podcast, LeBron James gave a shout-out to Allen Iverson for being a significant influence. The Philadelphia 76ers legend then shared the clip with his 15 million followers on Instagram, coupled with a sweet thank-you message. Off the court, both shared a bond of respect, but on the court, they were fierce rivals. So much so that AI once sided with his teammate and trash-talked LeBron.

“I remember he was talking trash to LeBron one time. LeBron said something he was like no ‘that’s my young head keep, leaving him open he gonna crack your head open,‘” revealed Andre Iguodala, as he spoke about the impact of Allen Iverson on his career on the 88th episode of Mark Jackson’s podcast.

“He did so much for me in my confidence and, like get me to understand like who I am or who I need to think of myself, to do what I need to do,” said the 40-year-old. A similar sentiment that LeBron James had shared on his podcast. “Steph and Allen Iverson are the two biggest influential guys in our game since I’ve been watching and covering…They were so relatable…Kids felt like they could be them.” AI responded to the Lakers superstar appreciation, “It’s a honor for you to feel this way. Love you Lil Bro! Feels good to get the flowers while you can still smell them.”

Andre Iguodala, who won 4 titles with the Warriors, beat LeBron James in three of those finals. So even he knows how fierce King James can be on the court. That is why he thanked The Answer for backing him up, “That does a lot for your confidence,” on the Mark Jackson Show. He is not the only one who felt that about the 2001 MVP; other players, too, thanked AI for his contribution.

Just 6 feet tall, Allen Iverson was an enormous influence on his teammates

Iguodala and Iverson would only share a locker room till 2006 in the first spell of the 76ers legend. Once AI moved to Denver Nuggets, he left a similar impact on Carmelo Anthony. The 40-year-old said, “I felt like he was the only one who understood my dynamics and what I was dealing with and what I was going through.”

On the court, the duo thrived with Melo’s highest-scoring regular season being in 2006-07 when Iverson played his first season with a new team. The Iverson-Anthony duo averaged 26.3 points per game and in the 2007-08 season, they ranked third and fourth respectively on the list of top scorers in the league. Not just past players Melo and Iguodala, but even the current Celtics Champion respects sharing the dressing room with Allen Iverson.

Recently, on Run It Back, Jrue Holiday spoke about being a rookie with the 76ers. “I think that’s what really made me the player I am today. Having guys like Lou, Andre Iguodala, AI, guys that showed me how to be a professional on the court and off the court.” Being a mentor to the young teammates and performing on the highest levels day in and day out, Allen Iverson etched his name as one of the greats in the league.