"He's one of the GOATs where I'm from": Will Barton reflects as Allen Iverson returns to Denver

DENVER — Will Barton was watching when Allen Iverson led the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA Finals in 2001. Barton, who grew up in Baltimore, was 10 years old the summer Iverson put his team on his back and reached basketball’s biggest stage. The 76ers fell short against the Los Angeles Lakers, but the run nevertheless left an imprint.

“Allen Iverson, he’s one of the GOATs where I’m from,” Barton said. 

Iverson was named MVP of the 2000-01 season. His 76ers only won one game in the Finals, but the sequence many remember from that series was Iverson stepping over Tyron Lue after hitting a step-back jumper in overtime of Game 1.

“Iconic,” Barton said. “And he looked at him. A.I., man. He set so many trends from tattoos to braids to headbands, cutting up shirts and putting on sleeves. He was the first one I ever saw do that. He did so much, man. It was crazy.”

Barton and Iverson were in the same building Friday night. During halftime of Denver’s 122-119 win over the San Antonio Spurs, the Nuggets honored Iverson, Kenyon Martin and Marcus Camby as a part of 2000s night. It was the fourth and final “Decade Night” the Nuggets, who are celebrating their 50th anniversary season, hosted.

Iverson spent the first nine seasons of his career in Philadelphia before a trade sent him to Denver in December 2006. He’d spend close to two full seasons with the Nuggets. They didn’t advance past the first round of the playoffs in his time here, but Iverson said he enjoyed his time in Denver because of how the fans embraced him.

“You know why it’s so monumental for me? Being in a uniform for so long and being traded and coming somewhere where basically you were wanted,” he said. “Obviously, I wore my welcome out in Philadelphia in some type of way. I was just happy that when I came here to see the response from the fans and the organization and how they wanted me to be a part of everything.”

Iverson retired from basketball in October 2013. He earned 11 trips to the All-Star Game in his 14-year career. He ranks seventh all-time in scoring average (26.7 per game). His legacy is about more than numbers, though.

His game resonates with the current crop of NBA players. As Barton alluded to, Iverson stood out for never being anybody but himself.

“That’s like one of the coolest things as far as being what I am and what I meant to the game,” Iverson said. “Guys like Michael Jordan did that for me. He was the guy that paved the way for me. He was the guy I looked up to. He was the guy I wanted to be like. A lot of times, these guys grew up off of me. They feel the way I felt about Mike, and it’s just a great feeling. Because honestly, I know how they feel.”