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Gilbert Arenas Calls 76ers’ Daryl Morey a Liar, Demands Rectification of Disappointing Allen Iverson Tribute

Published 04/16/2024, 9:51 PM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

An unfiltered Gilbert Arenas is not everyone’s cup of tea. But the ex-NBA star has tried to make it easier for the Philadelphia 76ers management with a touch of humor. Notably, the Sixers recently included an Allen Iverson statue in their ‘Legends Walk’ outside their practice facility in Camden, New Jersey. Though the gesture was well-intended, it has not gone well with AI fans, some even from the NBA community itself. While most of the resistance came the usual way, Gil has taken his own unique approach.

In a live show, Arenas unveiled what he sarcastically claimed was an Allen Iverson statue sent by the 76ers to him. While the fake statue itself was a dig at the Sixers, Gil’s words on Instagram added insult to injury. “Thanks @sixers for sending us the @theofficialai3 statue to unveil during our live show, Just mailed it back and the tracking number is #4204DarlymoreyIsAliar,” read the caption to Arenas’ IG post. He further mentioned that this should be enough of a hint that the statue was not Allen Iverson. The ex-Washington Wizards star demanded the situation to be set right.

 

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“@sixers ICONS statues are the size of #bearbrick collectibles Toys,” further read the caption to Gil’s IG post. It is worth mentioning that the previous statues of ex-Sixers stars have also been of similar sizes to that of Allen Iverson. But this instance has brought a lot of heat on Philly, with some questioning even the previous statues. While some ex-NBA stars shamed the 76ers for the size of the statue, some stated Al would never approve of such a statue.

Allen Iverson’s opinion of the tribute for him by his ex-franchise

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The majority section of the ex-NBA stars and fans have disapproved of the AI statue because of its size. However, the ex-NBA icon himself had a different take on this.“When you think about the statue… that’s a representation to y’all people that helped me. To everyone that played a part in my development and in my life. When y’all see that statue, y’all could feel good about the part that y’all did in helping me with my life. This is such an honor, man. It don’t even seem real,” the Answer stated as per an article by ESPN.

However, rapper Mason Betha is not ready to believe that AI would approve of this statue despite its size. “AI wouldn’t have approved of no statue that shorter than he is,” Mase stated, appearing on the ‘It Is What It Is’ podcast. But it’s obvious that any resistance on Iverson’s part will probably make him come across as petty and ungrateful. The Sixers’ management has also not responded to the ongoing controversy. So the possibility of a do-over of Allen Iverson’s statue, as per majority fan demand, remains a mystery.         

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Written by:

Khelendra Kumar Yadav

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Khelendra is an NBA writer at Essentially Sports, where he brings insightful analysis and engaging content to basketball enthusiasts worldwide. With a passion for the game cultivated from his own experiences as a basketball player, he has represented his school team in numerous tournaments, honing both skills and an intimate understanding of the sport. Khelendra holds a PG Diploma in Digital Media from a reputed university, providing him with a solid foundation in multimedia storytelling and digital content creation.
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Edited by:

Jayant Chhabra