50 Allen Iverson Quotes on Basketball, Dedication, and Success

We hope you enjoy these Allen Iverson quotes from the Basketball Hall of Famer about dedication, life, and knowing your self-worth.

Allen Iverson is one of the more controversial basketball stars who have been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Iverson began his career shortly after serving four months in jail after a brawl in a bowling alley (though he claimed he wasn’t involved).

He played for Georgetown University and his stellar play made him a must-see for NBA recruiters.

He joined the Philadelphia 76ers and was named Rookie of the Year in 1996.

However, Iverson also had a reputation with the press.

The media used Iverson’s image against him, claiming that his corn-rows and tattoos celebrated street-culture.

Iverson also had recurring run-ins with the law.

He was arrested on misdemeanor charges citing possession of guns, as well as sued for not stopping his bodyguard from beating up another man.

Despite his reputation, Iverson considered himself a family man with family and basketball as the two most important aspects of his life.

Don’t forget to also check out these Dennis Rodman quotes about basketball, Michael Jordan, and more.

Check out our most popular quote article, a list of short inspirational quotes for daily inspiration. 

Check out our entire collection of motivational quotes here. 

Allen Iverson quotes about basketball

1. “I’ve got to just play basketball.” ― Allen Iverson

2. “I don’t watch college basketball.” ― Allen Iverson

3. “I wasn’t a point guard. I was a killer.” — Allen Iverson

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4. “Personally I just want to win a championship.” ― Allen Iverson

5. “If I don’t believe it, then they don’t need me on the court. I’ve just got to believe that in my heart.” ― Allen Iverson

6. “It was a great experience for me – the ups and downs – because I became a man in Philadelphia.” ― Allen Iverson

7. “I gave everything I had to basketball. The passion is still there, but the desire to play is not. It was a great ride.” ― Allen Iverson

8. “I don’t want to just go to the playoffs, I don’t want to go to the playoffs and win the first round, second round, and not win the whole thing because it’s bittersweet.” ― Allen Iverson

9. “I may not know everything about physical talent or anything like that, but I have a sharp mind when it comes to that look: being able to look into somebody’s eyes to tell if they are going to be in the foxhole with you tonight, or if they are not.” ― Allen Iverson

10. “If I could take back all the mistakes that I made throughout my career, I would have had a perfect career. I would have missed no shots. I would have made no turnovers. I would have gone right instead of going left when I was supposed to, every game.” ― Allen Iverson

Allen Iverson quotes about life

11. “You can hide from the devil, but he’ll always find you.” ― Allen Iverson

12. “I can’t take it back. I can’t take anything back. So I don’t regret it.” ― Allen Iverson

13. “I had a lot of growing up to do. A lot of times, I learned the hard way.” ― Allen Iverson

14. “Just because you put a guy in a tuxedo doesn’t make him a good guy.” ― Allen Iverson

15. “Just understand that there’s going to be some ups, there’s going to be some downs.” ― Allen Iverson

16. “Obviously, if I could go back and change anything, I would be a perfect man. And I know there’s no perfect man.” ― Allen Iverson

17. “Being older, I can’t imagine a parent not wanting to be in their kid’s life. I will just never understand it. To me, it’s priceless.” ― Allen Iverson

18. “I’m a father; I’m a friend. I think I’ve got the biggest heart in the world. A lot of times, that’s not a good thing. It’s a gift and a curse.” ― Allen Iverson

Allen Iverson quotes about dedication

19. “I failed, got back up. I failed, got back up.” ― Allen Iverson

20. “You think I can be the MVP without practicing?” ― Allen Iverson

21. “When you are not practicing, someone else is getting better.” ― Allen Iverson

22. “I just want kids all over the world to know you have to practice to be any good in this game; it’s too hard.” ― Allen Iverson

23. “You hit roadblocks in life, but I’m living proof that you can overcome those roadblocks and become what you want to become.” ― Allen Iverson

24. “My dream was bigger than anything else. My fight and me wanting to fulfill what I wanted to be in life. That was enough to keep me strong enough to endure anything.” ― Allen Iverson

25. “Either you give in, or you fight. That’s all I know, being where I’m from. You fight for what you want. You go after what you want. The only thing I could do was give up or keep fighting for what I wanted in life.” ― Allen Iverson

26. “If that many people recognize how hard I go every night and what I put into my game, to make myself and my team better, it means a lot to me. I’m fortunate; I’m blessed to be in the situation that I’m in right now.” ― Allen Iverson

Allen Iverson quotes about success

27. “Being an All-Star is everything.” ― Allen Iverson

28. “I knew I was gonna be the number one pick, but I didn’t know.” ― Allen Iverson

29. “It was just the greatest feeling to see a kid with your shoes on.” ― Allen Iverson

30. “I went from the projects to a real house. It was a big difference.” ― Allen Iverson

31. “I’m just overwhelmed with the fact that I had a signature shoe. It’s actually ‘my shoe.’” ― Allen Iverson

32. “This is the thing you dream about when you’re a kid, even before getting into the league.” ― Allen Iverson

33. “I didn’t take constructive criticism the way I should have. When I finally caught up to that, that’s when I went to being the MVP.” ― Allen Iverson

34. “I owe all of this to the guys I’ve played with and all the coaches that have helped me get to where I’m at right now. I’m honored to be here.” ― Allen Iverson

35. “So many people supported me and believed in me. They made it so easy for me to believe in myself because I didn’t want to let them down.” ― Allen Iverson

36. “When you lose, there is a whole bunch of room for negativity and I don’t feed into this stuff and I do not do any talking. I don’t run my mouth.” ― Allen Iverson

37. “God gave me all this; why waste the talent that he gave me? Why not go full throttle with it all and try to become in the class with the greatest players that ever played the game? That’s just a great feeling.” ― Allen Iverson

38. “Man, people have been waiting for me to fall off my whole career. From the first time, I stepped on the court. It probably made people sick to their stomachs watching my whole career, watching the things that I’ve done in my career.” ― Allen Iverson

39. “I love my fans in Philadelphia, but this is the hardest place in the world to play in. And I think it’s the hardest place to play in to be a superstar. Just to be the No. 1 guy. All eyes on you – because everybody wants you to be perfect, but not themselves.” ― Allen Iverson

Allen Iverson quotes on knowing your self-worth

40. “Everybody is their own person.” ― Allen Iverson

41. “I surround myself with people who make me laugh.” ― Allen Iverson

42. “I am sick of defending myself, and I am not going to keep on doing it.” ― Allen Iverson

43. “Why do you care about somebody talking negative about you if they don’t know you?” ― Allen Iverson

44. “My mom always told me that I could be anything I wanted to be. And I truly, actually believed it. And I fought.” ― Allen Iverson

45. “I don’t really care too much about what people who don’t care about me say about me, but a lot of times, you know, I get tired of defending myself.” ― Allen Iverson

46. “I don’t have any problems with what these guys wear because they got their own style and their own originality. That’s the way it’s supposed to be, man.” ― Allen Iverson

47. “This is like a tribute to them, the people who helped me to get here. The thing that makes me feel good about the whole thing is, the fans voted me here.” ― Allen Iverson

48. “I think a lot of times, when people who get a chance to meet me and be around me, they understand that I’m not the person that the media make me out to be.” ― Allen Iverson

49. “Tattoos, cornrows, headbands, hip-hop. I never meant to start any trends. I got my butt kicked, but if that meant that the guys who came after me could be themselves, then it was worth it.” ― Allen Iverson

50. “I wish the media and people that work in media would realize sometimes – and I know it doesn’t pay your bills – but sometimes just sit back and think, like, ‘Man, what if this was my child? And somebody was doing this to them? And they had to go through it? If somebody bashed them like this?’” ― Allen Iverson

What does success look like to you?

Usually the shortest person on the court, at a mere 6 feet tall, Iverson’s speed and talent made up for what he lacked in height.

He was named the league’s MVP in 2000, a year that he averaged an NBA-best 31.1 points per game.

He retired as an 11-time All-Star in 2013 after playing 14 seasons.

In 2016 he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, sealing his legacy as one of the most exciting players and abundant scorers in basketball history.

We hope you enjoyed these Allen Iverson quotes and sayings.

Let us know which quote was your favorite in the comments below.