Iverson Criticizes Load Management: “I Played Through Injuries”
According to Iverson, load management is the NBA’s weak point: his attack on a trend that’s also creating tension between superstars and franchises
Allen Iverson never had filters, and his latest shot at load management hits at the core of today’s NBA debate.
Through his social media channels, the former MVP called out what he sees as clear hypocrisy between how his generation was treated and the “protection” given to today’s stars – which, despite good intentions, is creating confusion and frustration, as seen in cases like Joel Embiid with the Sixers.
All this sounds crazy to me. Load Management?!?! They sent me to hell because I supposedly didn’t practice. Now they’re crying because players are missing games. I played through every injury imaginable, to the point they had to hide my uniform to keep me off the court – TRUE STORY.
Allen Iverson
The reference to his iconic 2002 rant is inevitable – and today, it sounds almost prophetic:
We talking about the game, not practice. Not practice, we talking about the game!
Allen Iverson
For Iverson, who built his legacy on toughness and relentless usage (fourth all-time in minutes per game at 41.1), seeing stars sit out for “workload management” is an insult to the game.
The numbers of “The Answer” are a testament to his durability: not only does he rank ninth all-time in points and steals per game, but he was the smallest player ever to carry such a massive physical burden – in an era as physical as the late ’90s and early 2000s – attacking the rim night after night and absorbing hits that would have stopped anyone else.