“Our heroes are not always perfect. Instead, they possess a relatability that makes them touchable and real.” That’s what Allen Iverson was for Dwyane Wade. To pay tribute to the player who inspired his basketball career, Wade was inducted into the Hall of Fame by none other than Iverson. And now, less than a year after the fact, Candace Parker revealed the impact the 76ers legend had on her career.

What do Candace Parker and Dwayne Wade have in common? Well, they wore the No.3 jersey. And as it turns out, they both had one reason to pick that number: Allen Iverson. In an appearance on Wade’s The Why podcast, the three-time WNBA champion opened up about the secret behind her dribbles. “Who did you emulate [while growing up],” asked the Miami Heat legend.

Parker replied, “I hate fitting in a lane. So I took pieces from a lot of different people.” However, nothing could beat her love for Iverson. And a high school Candace paid tribute to him every day. “I grew up loving Iverson. That’s part of the reason I wear No. 3. My brother got drafted to Philly, so he was on the team. I had the finger No. 3 bands. He gave them to me when I was in junior high. I wore them in high school.” 

Reliving her days of idolizing “The Answer,” Parker admitted she could do Reebok’s popular Jadakiss commercial, something she remembers like the back of her hand. She also revealed an aspect of her game she took inspiration from AI. “He was the one I wanted to dribble like.” When Wade asked her if it was just the dribbling, the Aces star said, “I would say it’s just his heart.”

Allen Iverson was unapologetically himself all the time. No matter what was happening around him, “he wasn’t going to change based off of his environment,” claimed Parker. The fact that Allen Iverson was okay with breaking the norms and not caring what people thought about him was what the 3× WNBA champion loved the most. And that’s when Wade divulged, “That’s why I had Iverson as the one to introduce me into the Hall of Fame.”

During the 2023 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony, after Iverson walked in wearing a suit with the No.3 on the back with Wade’s name, the Heat legend gave an emotional speech. Referring to AI and how he inspired him through his own struggles, Wade said, “You showed us that success and greatness are attainable even in the face of adversity. You are a living, breathing reminder that redemption and growth are possible.”

The fact of the matter is Allen Iverson influenced Wade and Parker’s basketball careers. But it wasn’t just that. He played a part in the off-court aspects of their lives as well. And for everything he did to bring about a change in all that surrounds the game of basketball, he’ll be paid tribute on the big screen!

Candace Parker’s hairstyle and Dwayne Wade’s dressing sense; AI’s played a hand in it all

Allen Iverson’s NBA career was not without controversy. A lot of it had to do with his braids, tattoos, and his attire. And, well, because of the social perceptions around athletes’ appearances, he became the center of quite some criticism. But he continued doing what he always did – he stayed true to himself. And that’s what Candace Parker loved about him. So much so that she admitted, “I did have the little zig-zag braids, I’m not gonna lie.”

As for Dwayne Wade, a ruling in 2005 helped him hone his love for dressing for the occasion. In 2005, the NBA established a gameday dress code to help the league’s public perception. Iverson was considered one of the reasons for this. Following that ruling, Wade started expressing himself more through his fashion. So, indirectly, AI did help shape Wade into the flamboyant personality he became.

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Talking to Parker, he said, “[Iverson] wasn’t like everyone else. We loved [Jordan] and the suit and how he showed up. But when Iverson came, it was like, ‘Oh man, you can be like that too?’ Because it was a certain way that you thought you had to be, but Iverson showed you that you don’t.” It’s no secret that AI changed an entire culture and the NBA as a whole. In light of the legacy the 76ers legend left behind, Amazon Prime is making a documentary on him.

Announcing it, Iverson said, “I’m ready to tell my story my way, authentic and unapologetically. I look forward to people seeing a side of me they haven’t seen before.” Being co-produced by Shaquille O’Neal’s Jersey Legends and Stephen Curry’s Unanimous Media, it’ll take everyone through AI’s journey – from his days in Hampton to the NBA summit.

TNT Saved Dwyane Wade from Losing as Candace Parker Takes Credit for His First-Ever Championship