Allen Iverson joins the Memphis Grizzlies
For Iverson, it’s personal, for the Grizzlies, they’re just hoping they didn’t throw three million dollars away.
That’s how much the Memphis Grizzlies have agreed to pay Allen Iverson for the coming 2009 NBA basketball season. Yes, Iverson will play for the Grizzlies after the 10-time All-Star signed a one-year deal worth $3.1 million in Memphis.
This makes Allen Iverson the biggest name yet ever to spread across a Grizzly uniform since Memphis sent Pau Gasol to the Lakers and back when Shareef Abdur Rahim was playing with the Grizzlies for Vancouver.
Of course, A.I. was more than happy that the Memphis Grizzlies finally gave him an opportunity to redeem himself after the disastrous year he had in Detroit. And since Iverson, despite being a 10-time All-Star and a former league MVP, wasn’t the most sought after free agent this offseason, he definitely has a lot of redeeming to do in the coming season.
”This year for me is so personal,” Allen Iverson said at his introductory news conference.
”It’s basically going to be my rookie season again. It hurts, but I turn the TV on, I read the paper, I listen to some of the things people say about me having the season that I had last year and me losing a step, things like that. They’re trying to put me in a rocking chair already.”
Grizzlies fans welcomed Iverson like a hero. He walked into the FedEx Forum with a standing ovation in an atmosphere that felt like a pep rally.
Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace called Iverson one of the NBA’s all-time greatest guards and officially welcoming A.I. is a great day for the team, the Grizzlies’ loyal fans and the city of Memphis.
The team had been courting Iverson since July, a process that sped up with a meeting Monday night in Atlanta over dinner with the guard, Wallace, team owner Michael Heisley and coach Lionel Hollins.
For now, they’re convinced that Iverson can still help any team win ball games.
”This guy has many years of basketball left in him, and he is eager. He expressed it to us to get going with the task of helping our team reach a whole other level of success,” Wallace said.
Which team will win the 2010 NBA Finals? SPORTSBETTING.COM has the early odds.
Orlando Magic 7-1
Boston Celtics 5-1
Denver Nuggets 12-1
Want more odds? Visit SPORTSBETTING.com for more basketball betting odds. Want to watch the NBA live? Get NBA tickets online now.
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