Allen Iverson Live

After Stephon Marbury’s success in winning the Chinese Basketball League, news has been floating around that Allen Iverson is hoping to play in China.  Could this be true?  It certainly sounds likely as Allen Iverson is currently in Shanghai on a two-week promotional basketball tour, where he will team up with other NBA stars including Dennis Rodman, Clyde Drexler, Shawn Kemp to play against three Chinese Basketball Association teams in seven games. The first leg is in Cixi, Zhejiang province on April 28, and the showdown is between the US Legends versus Beijing Ducks (Stephon Marbury’s championship team).

China Daily Reports:

Following in his arch rival Stephon Marbury’s foot steps, former NBA superstar Allen Iverson is seriously considering joining the Chinese basketball market.

Iverson confirmed on Friday that he will seek to talk with some Chinese basketball clubs and hopes that there is an opportunity for him to play in the country, according to Modern Express.

Iverson arrived in Shanghai on Friday for a two-week promotional basketball tour, where he will team up with other NBA stars including Dennis Rodman, Clyde Drexler, Shawn Kemp to play against three Chinese Basketball Association teams in seven games. The first leg is in Cixi, Zhejiang province on April 28, and the showdown is between the US Legends versus Beijing Ducks.

One employee from the organizing committee of the tour revealed that the eagerness of the former NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2001 and four-time scoring champion is inspired by the tremendous success of his old foe Stephon Marbury, who led the Ducks to their first-ever CBA title last season.

It makes Iverson’s possible stay – a long-term one – in China more intriguing as the 37-year-old was spotted wearing a Chinese sports brand T-Shirt – Qiaodan – at a dinner party on Friday night.

Drafted as the No 1 pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1996, Iverson played 14 years in the NBA, averaging 26.7 points. He was deemed as one of the best shooting guards in the league’s history. He played for the club of Beşiktaş Milangaz in Turkey in the 2009-10 season.

Here’s Allen Iverson’s latest tweet on his injury situation – screencap included:

An MRI has revealed a lesion that is in my right leg and pressing against the bone. I am coming home for further examinations and possibly surgery. I have never said anything about retirement nor have I said goodbye to the game of basketball. I love this game! That is why I went all the way to Turkey to continue playing and once I get past this, my plan is to continue playing at the highest level possible. So don’t put me in my rocking chair just yet. Hold on, I’ll be back! Stay tuned.

People around the web have been analyzing his tweet, specifically on his mention of playing “at the highest level possible”.  Surely, that would be the NBA.  Does he mean to return to the NBA after his surgery?  At this point, this is just speculation. This author thinks that he should return to Sixers.