The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Allen Iverson Talks 'Misunderstood,' Career & Relationships Challenges, 'Practice' Press Conference

Episode Date: October 10, 2025

Today on The Breakfast Club, Allen Iverson Talks 'Misunderstood,' Career & Relationships Challenges, 'Practice' Press Conference. Listen For More!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Hold on. Every day I wake up. Wake your ass up. The breakfast club. If you're all finished or y'all done? Morning, everybody, it's D.J.N.V., just hilarious. Charlemagne Naguad. We are the Breakfast Club.

Longlerosis here as well. We got a special guest in the building. Come on, man. Another cultural icon. We're having a weaker cultural icon. A.I., Alan Arvison, bumperchuk, whatever you want to call him. Mr. 757.

He's in the building. New book, Misunderstood, is out right now. That's right. Alan Arvison, ladies and gentlemen. How you feeling, man? Good. Life, life, life, be life, same fight. Different round.

You know what I mean? I want to, um, before we start, how much time do we got? What time did you mean? What did you mean? Because I don't know where it's going to go. But look, man. Friends. All right.

So I know, you know, what type of, I mean, I'm just mean, just. But, you know, you know how you get to know somebody from afar and you can basically kind of tell what type of person they are. You know what I mean? Obviously, I've known you since I was in high school and a big fan of you, bro. Move close. Okay. I bet. Friendships, man.

It's hard. You know what I mean? Because when you think about your friends, obviously, you know, you can't choose your family mom. You know what I mean? You're born into that. But your friends, you feel like, you know, y'all got so much in common with each other. And yeah, so much love for them.

Because, you know, they kind of like a, basically a flexion of you or you get the same type of things in common or whatever. And you just grow to love them like family. They become, you know, the guys become brothers and your home girls become your sisters. Mm-hmm. But it's rough, man, navigating through that. You know what I mean?

I know how much I love my family, my friends. I got so much flak when I first got into the lead. You know what I mean? It was the entourage. to bring you home boys from where you're from you trust them so much you love them you want them to go on the ride with you you want them to take this journey you know through it is new to me i've been poor all my whole life and then snap of a finger i'm rich and famous and it's a lot you know what i mean so you want to have so many people around you that you love and you trust you

know what i mean um and uh the the money man just you know what I mean and it's so different from me and it's so hard for me because with my athletic ability that I was blessed with I've been like this

since I was eight years old I always felt that I was rich but I was poor I always been famous you know what I mean when I was eight years old I go into barbershop and guys 17 18 20 25 years old guys like

oh shit there you go you know that's the one right there that's him so it's always been that for me i always had that attention you know what i mean i always been like that and um you know once i got some money it was no different for me obviously i could do things with my family my friends that i couldn't do before you know that's that goes what i was saying and um i've never had a person you know my nickname obviously you know my name chuck you know i've never heard a person say you know you know Once Chuck got some money, he changed. Once Chuck got to the NBA, he changed.

You know what I mean? I've never heard that, you know, before because, you know, the people that know me and love me and the people that I love know I'm me. You know what I mean? That's one of my biggest fears or had been one of my biggest fears of looking in the mirror and not being able to recognize, you know, well, my mom and the people that I love not be able to recognize who I see. You know what I mean?

It meant something to me. But, man, just to. the painful lessons of friends not being who you think they are when you had to rule all evil anything. Did something just recently happen? It happens. And the reason, definitely, it happens all the time. But I feel a pendulum swinging in another direction as far as how I feel about it, like

how it used to hurt me. You know what I mean? You tell someone, you want to find out if someone, if someone, you want to find out if someone, out of your friend you tell them no one that's right that's right and um and their reaction would say it all you know what i mean chuck hey man i got a business you know opportunity i want to start this i want to start debt man give me a hundred thousand and you don't even have to tell them no you can say not right now you know later on but these are the same people you pay their rent pay that over the years child support you know what I mean you know pay your mom

rent you know this that lawyer fees every time you go to a jewelry store you taking them you know because the the most awkward feeling is you know for me this is just me growing up being young and and and not knowing early in the preliminary stages of getting some money you know what I mean like I don't want to be shining and looking good and my home boy is not so when I go see Manny you know what I mean they go on you know what I mean when I get cause they get cause

you know what I mean like and you know it's just like when you tell them no the way they you know they act and you know somebody saying this hey yo man what's up with your man they are you know what's up with a man

fuck that nigga you know what I mean like after reading your book nobody should question your loyalty or ever say fucking God not the way you took care of you I'm telling you what you seen but do you regret that because I mean

You took Virginia with you everywhere you went. That's where I say the pendulum is swinging. That's where I say or feel that my maturation is on a higher level now because back then when something traumatic would happen to me like that, and I see how they act for me telling them no. Like, you know what I mean? It's like I feel myself. not giving the damn anymore.

Like, you know what I mean? Like, I'm talking about the same people that come to me, you know, be at my practice, 8 o'clock in the morning, you know, Christmas Eve, saying what their kids don't have. You know what I mean? And one thing about the people that you love, people that love you or supposed to love you

is they know you better than anybody. They know my heart. You throw your kids in there, you know what I mean? Everybody know Christmas on the 25th of December every year, you know what I mean? but man my kids ain't gonna have nothing you know what I'm supposed to do and something you said in the book that hit me too is you was like man you was that kid so you understood what it felt did not have so when they came to you you was like I gotta do it and I had the mother

and the father that hustled to get us what they could but they couldn't get us things you know I wanted a mopad for Christmas I wanted certain things and then you wake up that morning and it's not there you know you may have a you know pair of sneakers or a t-shirt and that's be the only thing you get you know what i mean so you know i ain't never want my homeboys kids to you know look at them crazy and now you know like i've years ago is is that you know i've ran into the craziest shit but years ago um you know money got funny you know what i mean and um you know i had realized at a point like i ain't have the word knowing my vocabulary when it come to people you know what I mean? Like I was so used to, I never held anybody accountable for why I had to be the one taking care of everybody. You know what I mean? I was the one going to work every single day. I was breaking bones, hundreds stitches in my face. You know what I mean? And it just taught me a lot, man. And now, you know, I know life be lifeing, but to be still dealing with those type of people and caring about how they feel when you're

you know what you've done for them. You know, you wake up, and some people wake up in their life just not what they wanted to be. And the first thing you could think of is blame it on Chuck, you know, and figure out some way that I can blame it on somebody else to why my life is not what it is. Did you ever have imposter syndrome? And the reason I asked is you talk about all that, right? And I remember the Bowling Alley incident in Virginia. And if it feels like regardless of what happened in VA, you always.

came back and you always wanted to show the love. No matter what happened, you talk about the people you put on, the city was against you, and Virginia could have been racist back then. It was really racist back then. We all seen it, but you still came back to that 757 to show love. I am VA. I am VA. It's me. It's Emmy.

You know what I mean? And the crazy thing about, I was just talking to my man about this before we got in here. So I had to do all the stuff, you know, all my media runs, and all that yesterday. sign thousand books and you know take a thousand pictures you know what I mean with the people that bought the books beautiful but I was you know I was tired and right after that is my daughter's birthday and I had to you know she wanted to

be with me so I had to you know take care of her after all of that and I got done maybe I started six got done like maybe 10 o'clock she wanted to go bowling and wanted to go to a escape boom okay but I had no idea to that the escape room was like you're in a jail scene. You know what I mean? So I'm like, yo, this is your life, for real. Like, out of all the places that she want to go on her birthday, it's a bowling alley and a jail.

You know what I mean? But she's smart because you've got to figure out how. She probably figured out how to get you out of there. But, you know, I'm thinking like the last place I want to be from my memory is in a jail and then a bowling alley. That's right. know what I mean so I mean I want to go back to your friends thing real quick right because even in the book there's nobody it felt like that was around you that didn't

help you in some way shape or form so you was repaying them like you talk about how when you was in jail they was taking care of your mom and they were the ones that would tell you know you know you're not going to be hustling you're going to be playing ball so it wasn't like you just had a bunch of leeches around you was it was people that looked out for you so you look back out for them you know what I would I would have I would have done it anyway Like, I ain't never expected, like, if I, you know, if I look out for one of my, my home boys, my home girls, I don't expect you to give it back. You know what I mean? I ain't never asked for nothing back.

You know what I mean? I just feel like me being the head of the snake. You know, it's like me, the perfect example. It's like me being on our 2001 team and went to the finals. I'm the killer. Everybody know that. This is the guy going to put the ball in the back. this is what he do now what we do is compliment him we do everything else all

his deficiencies the things that he can't do on the defensive end of the you know of the court you know he's he's lead the leading steals year after year but you got to gamble and when he gamble the Kimbe is there to make sure I'm good the O is there the block shots make sure I'm good they could do all of the things that I couldn't do it and that's what that's what made Voltron you know what I mean you put all those things together and that me I was it was me and a bunch of dogs you know I mean and it's the same thing with my friendship yeah he's the guy you know what I mean he's like us but he's not like us you know he is AI so we got to act accordingly to that yeah he

chucked us you know what I mean but people look at him another way so I have a role I you know I have to do this this is my part this is what I have to do you know what I mean this is what I have to do you know and I don't know I don't know if I said that but looking out for my mom financially it's totally different than going around there and checking on you know what I mean it was it was never no you know like like I did when it came to to their family yeah you know what you know what you know what I mean um another thing too and I maybe this could be part of what you feeling right now it seemed like the whole team had a dream it wasn't it wasn't it wasn't you supposed to get on in basketball you were supposed to get on in basketball and everybody else was supposed to make it and rap so everybody was supposed to be doing their own thing I didn't have to I didn't have to I didn't have to I didn't have to I didn't have the um lebron james crew mad brandy and rich blueprint i didn't have that blueprint you know what i'm like look we're gonna get in what we fit in you know what i mean like i've had one of my homeboys tell me like i'm going to work every day working every day mass supposed to be a superstar by now you know what i'm going to work i'm like like i've had incidents like you know i'm getting ready

go on the road and it was a casino you know what i mean and i go to the bank i get 50 000 they got 30,000 and large in 20,000 and, you know, 20. And I'm getting on the plane. My man come, I give him the 20,000. He looked at it like it was something wrong with it because it was all 20s. You know what I mean? I'm like, yo, did this, you know, really just,

did that really just happen? You know what I mean? Like, and it's like, you know, you can, you can, you thinking you're doing what's right but you only you're not holding people accountable you've been in a crutch for them it's like putting a band-aid on something

you know what I mean you're not stitching it up you know what I mean you're not stapling it up you know what I mean and they always feel like that you know what I mean but like the hurtful part is

the response of actually saying no probably because they never heard it like when I implemented that in my vocabulary like no what you know what I mean

and like for somebody I'm built so different like somebody just like envy getting me a barber like that's gonna be something that resonate with me forever I know we already got a relationship

you know what I mean but still like I needed a barber in New York my man looked out for me like that goes a long way with me but you can do a million things for somebody you know what I mean the first time

you know what I mean and I was and I was more about it. You know what I mean? But Aaron McKee told me, he said, Chuck, just, you know what I mean, when you, when you cutting your grass, you know what I mean, and you getting them snakes out of there, you ask, ask somebody, you know, let them ask you for something and tell them no. You know what I mean? And I think I'm doing a great job of cutting it, but you still got the little small, you know, snakes might be gone, but some worms in there, some small, you know, You know right now, it's Charles Barkley

and a whole bunch of people saying, we was trying to tell him this 30 years. Yeah, but when you, when you, like, it's just like the basketball aspect of everything, I ain't never think that I would retire that early. You know what I mean? Man, I ain't never had no backup plan. Like, growing up, once my mom told me

I could be anything I wanted to be, I wanted to be NBA basketball player, and that was it. It was no, it was no B, C, D. It was just that, that one dream, you know what I mean? I didn't have no blueprint. I ain't even had nobody in my family that went to college. You know what I mean?

Nobody had ever been married. You know what I mean? Everything was new to me. I was doing everything on the fly. You know what I mean? So, you know, my mistakes was coming at a rapid pace. You know what I mean? And, you know, you think, you know, Coach Thompson used to always tell me,

you're always listening to everybody else. You're always listening to somebody else. always listening to somebody that's never been to, you know, from A to Z telling you how to get there. You know what I mean? And that's what I was. I had everybody that wasn't me and never had the experience telling me how to do it. Now, you talk about your BC plan, right? You see what Michael Vick is doing with Norfolk State. Absolutely. Have you ever thought about coaching? No. Why not? Because they would listen to you, right? Especially if you go to HBCU, they were definitely listening. I've been, I've been one of the players.

You know what I mean? Yeah, coach made millions of dollars. But you got these guys making, that's why I take my hat off to anybody that coached NBA. You know what I mean? Like you have a unique talent, you know what I mean, to have a bunch of guys with a bunch of egos. Everybody comes from being the man. And then you put them on a team and everybody got the same goal. And I just don't feel like, you know, I can coach a guy, a bunch of guys to make more.

money to me listen to me for what that's why is it a god-given talent any NBA coach that make it that far blessed not even NBA coaches you talk about in the book how you filed out and you had to be on the sideline and you just was watching it from your coach's perspective I think that was in high school maybe and you was like damn this what he see yeah yeah I want to ask you about the title of the book man do you think you were misunderstood that's the title of the book or did people outside of your circle just not take the time to understand you You're a smart dude. Sometimes.

A lot. This is one of my favorite shows, so I, you know, I see the good days and bad days. You've been ducking this for a little time. I'm going to come. I watch Dame come up here. It's for real. It gets real. I think this, I think they can answer it better. perspective is um you know they were learning on the fly to it's like you know with my documentary

that's coming out um it was like a three hours long i think i cried like two and a half hours of i had to keep walking out of the theater because you think you know when it comes to people that love you you think you know how they feel about you know turbulent times yeah you know what mean and you think you know how they feel you think you think you know how your girl feel you think you know how your mom feel your uncles your aunts your homeboys your home girls but then when they actually tell you from their point of view how they felt you know and how they looked at things and how I didn't see how I was fucking up you know what I mean um how they had to try to address me with certain things like you know you driving the car we

we riding shotgun you know what I mean like and it's hard to tell somebody you know that's trying to live their life you know what they should do and what they shouldn't do you know what I mean like I'm 21 years old you know what I mean when I got into the league and at that age like you know what I mean you couldn't you couldn't tell me nothing yeah you know what I'm saying like I'm here. You know what I mean? Like the dress code, I'm like, I dress like the dudes, the drug dealers from my neighborhood. Like, you know, I'm, I'm dressing like this because, you know, this is what I, the old hair is from, from my neighbor, this is how they dress. You know what I mean? I just couldn't afford it. You know what I mean? My corn rolls, I got cornrows because

I was tired of barbers messing my hair. I'm like, damn, if I just grow my hair, you know, I ain't got to deal with that. You know, tattoos just got addictive. I got one. I couldn't Before them I would have been, got a lot of them. And I was playing everything by ear. Like I said, I didn't have, my daddy was a hustler. You know what I mean? He was in the streets, my mom, in the streets. I didn't have no, you know, I didn't have no-

Somebody to sit you down and give you structure, yo, this is how you- Wasn't no coach Thompson then. You know what I mean? Wasn't those people they weren't in my life yet. So all of that was where he was, he was. He was, but he was there, you know, when I got to the NBA, me and his phone calls was, you know, you're all right?

We never talked about basketball, you all right? Yeah, I'm all right, I'm just checking all. Y'all's Juana, good, how to kids, you know what I mean? And that was it. He was allowing me and thinking he was preparing me at Georgetown for what was the inevitable, me going to the league. You can't prepare for that, bro. How was that pressure though?

Because the nicest player, right? But you change culture. But when you change the culture, the NBA pushed back against it. But you never broke. You never folded, even though they could have said, they could have banned AI and said, now we don't want you in our leave. But you never folded.

You never backed down and you kept it that way, which hurt you at times. Why was that? They profited off of two. You know what I mean? Like I would be on, one of the things that hurt me is I was on a magazine. They wanted me on a magazine because of my talent and who I was. but they airbrushed my tattoos off.

So you want me, but you, you know, you want some of me. I took the ass with it for it, but the dress code thing, like, I actually was just, you know what I mean? I was 21. Where am I going after the game? I'm going to the club. You know what I mean? Like, before that, they were used to dudes wearing soups.

And, you know what I mean? I was like, man, like, I've never worn a soup growing up, going to church, to a funeral, the only time I put on the suit. In the courtroom. In the courtroom. Definitely. In the courtroom. So I never wore a soup to the gym, to play, to the park.

Sweatsuit, you know what I mean, or whatever. You know what I'm saying? So I didn't think nothing of it. You know what I mean? And then, you know, I got some money, so the jewelry, and I always had a fetish, me. fetish me and my mom since I was a little kid you know what I mean it's always been like that so you know I remember being in and in uh in college and my teammates like yo when you get to the

lead man you're gonna get the jewelry like pop you know what I mean you don't have the jewelry like puff you know what I mean yeah you know and the first thing like when the first thing I did was come up here and went to Tito you know what I'm saying like I didn't think nothing I was living you know what I mean, and David Stern and the rest of the NBA was like, nah, because it was all right when I was doing it, but then everybody else said, okay, like, he can do that, we can do this. So then everybody, you know, you see Kobe coming in with the diamond chains on and the baggy clothes and, you know, everybody started doing it. Then the league was like, hold on, you got to do something about that.

So it wasn't, it wasn't anything malicious. Like, and that whole situation showed me a lot, it proved a lot to me at a young age about stereotyping people because you know when you seen John Gotti John Gotti kept on a $2,000 suit but what was he that's right he get busy yeah you know what I mean so it ain't about what you got on you watch reservoir dogs yeah what they have on when they when they rob that suit you know what I'm saying so it ain't about you know what you got on on the outsides who you are and they said that bothered you the most when they labeled you a thug yeah you know what I'm I'm I I'll be cool with I'll be

cool with you know a street dude cool with that because that's what I am I mean that's where I come from that's all I've ever been around my life that's where I grew up around you know what I mean but a thug like no that's a that's a stretch I was wondering would you change things and the reason I asked that because even in the book you understood you had to wear a suit the court but you didn't want to do it for press conferences in the NBA. I was bad advice. Like I was, you know, I was told to take a,

go to trial and go off whatever the judge say, opposed to having a jury. That was bad advice, you know what I mean? Some of it, I was getting advice from people that never had been through it. You know what I mean? I was told that if I wore a suit, then they'd be lenient.

I was, yeah. I was extremely wrong. Oh, so you wish you to just wore the hoodclothes? I might as well. Yeah. I remember that same suit. I remember that same suit. I was in a cell, it was 100 degrees with no fans in the holding sale.

I was in an old man cell with 15 people. You know what I mean? And that suit, when they came and got me, I was in the corner with my boxes on, you know what I mean? Soaking wet and the suit was balled up in the corner when they came and got me out of there. I had on my box. You know what I mean?

So I don't know. Do you regret anything? No, because I wouldn't be who I am now. You know what I mean? Anybody. If I died and came back, I would, man, I'd rather be me all over again. But if I change everything, if I knew it was coming, anybody going to be going down to one-way street, you're going to get on the right side of the road.

You see the track trailer coming and you know it's coming. You know what I mean? That prepared me to be. to be the man that I am today, I had to take this ass whooping with the dress code. So now look at everybody. Everybody give me my flowers for that. You know what I mean? For you got them, all these personalities, why would everybody dress the same? You got different basketball games. Why everybody look the same? You got different games and people feel good about this. So when you, I love it. You're thinking about, you know, when it's time to go somewhere,

I was trying to go to a club or whatever. I ain't battling with the dudes at the club. You know what I mean? I can't wait to meet everybody downstairs. See what everybody got on. You know what I mean? Like, I want to be, you know, I want to be smoother than my man. You know what I mean?

Like, that make you feel good. You look good, you play good. Even on the court, I wanted to look like a superhero, like Michael Jordan used to look. You know what I mean? Like, I wouldn't, I wouldn't, I wouldn't change. I wouldn't change anything, man, in my life. All of these experiences, even with the book, man.

It's like, I love, like, my girl always talked to me about, why do you let, like, what I started talking about in the beginning. Why do you let that type of shit bother you? Come on to practice, press conference. No, just with my friends. How people, you know what I mean? It's like, why? And I don't know.

You know what I mean? Like, I love the people that I love. And it hurt when they show you who they really. Of course. Because I'm thinking you somebody else. You know what I mean? And she's like, you know, why do you stress out over stuff like that and what I said, you different.

You have a talent and you're blessed to be able to brush that stuff off. It's hard for me. Now, my talent obviously is, you know, legendary with who. But I think another blessing that I have is to be an open book, to be someone, I'm embarrassed about the practice rent. I'm embarrassed about. embarrassed about, not really embarrassed, but it wasn't smart for me to, you know, because I remember, you know, people telling me, AI, you cannot take care of everybody. And I used to let it go on one ear and write out the other, like, yo, you know what I mean, I'm going to be the exception to the rule.

I'm going to take care of the people that I love. Like, that's just me, you know what I mean? And I think that's why I hurt you so bad because your heart is in it. You love these people, you know. Yeah, yeah. You're Superman, but you still have a heart. You know what I mean? And you like, but this is, but this is my, this is my gift.

Like this is my gift to, this book, this, this documentary, my experiences, the turbulent, the ups and downs, like if one kid or one adult, whatever, read this book and they can take something for me. I have people come to me all the time and be like, yo man, you inspired my life, man. I would have died if it was for you. I wouldn't want to jail for the rest of my life. You know what I mean? Like, you changed my life.

You know, you inspire me, you know, your story and this, that, and the third, like, and that motivate me. You know what I mean? Like, to give more, like to, even when you're embarrassing, you're uncomfortable, you know, talk about it. Somebody might not have to go through it. Somebody might, you might, you might save somebody in life. I agree. You know what I mean? Like, talk about it.

You know what I mean? You might not be, you know, man, you was on top of the world. You had all the money. You know what I mean? All you had to do. It's easy for a motherfucker to tell. what to do with his easy for somebody say what I would have did man if I was him I would do you ain't me motherfucker you know what I mean you don't know how I'm

sorry you're not me you know I make mistakes I'm human just like you but that's why we love you and I love how to I love how the whole book misunderstood is literally an explanation is the why the whole infamous practice press conference even happened yeah because you was dealing with so much at the time so it wasn't Even about, you know, those people in the room, it's everything else that was going on outside. Man, best friend just got killed. You know what I mean?

I'm like, I'm coming in there, but Charlotte, man, I'm coming in there like, I'm on cloud nine. I'm like, yo, I get, you know, my kids dealing with this, like they going to school every day and their classmates, tell your daddy don't leave, tell your daddy don't leave. You know, my wife going, you know, she out in the city, people tell your husband, please don't leave,

we love them, no, that. So they're going through it. You know what I mean? My kids don't really understand. Daddy, don't get traded. Don't leave. Like, I don't have no control over it. So when they called me in there, it was like, yo, you ain't going nowhere.

So I'm like, shit, can we call a press conference? You know what I mean? Yeah, got everybody in there. I get to tell the world I ain't going nowhere. This dude, just keep on asking me about practice. Practice, practice. You know what I mean? I'm like, practice.

Yeah, you know what I'm saying? I'm like, this is not what we're here for. this is we i mean let's rejoice let's be happy yeah you know what i mean but it's you you if you know what i know you got beat writers that write every day and then you know i was telling stephen a on this show yesterday like they want exclusive you turn them down for exclusive the first chance they get kicking you back in you'll kick you back you know what i mean and it was him i'm sitting there looking at him i'm you know what i mean like and if i was if i was prepared which i wasn't if i I was paying, I'm like, yo, man, I was the MVP last season, the best player in the whole world.

You know what I mean? Coming from where I come from. And if I didn't practice, how would I be able to accomplish something like that? I must be really good. You know what I mean? Like, but I wasn't prepared for it like that because I was so emotional and angry that, you know, this is about being happy, man. That's what the misunderstood is about, right? One thing I would say about AI is if you ever see him out,

he's going to talk to you he's going to hug you like he's and it's funny when people say you from the street or when he labeled you a thug I'm like when you see him out he's the total opposite he's going to hug you he's going to ask you how your family is yeah right when he used to have a look at it he going to kiss you on your forehead like brother I love you like no for real he love you and he means it and he means well for all these people and that's the side I don't think people see I was saying something the other day I was like I was walking down the street in Virginia and sholomme was like you was walking I was like I was walking on the street And they pulled up.

Envy, what's up? Hop out the call. How's your family? Give me a hug. No, for, yeah. What you doing tonight? You got something to city? All right, I'm gonna come.

Then text me later on. Yo, I'm sleeping. I ain't gonna bring it. I'm like, but that's him with everybody. And I'm like, that's the side that people are. The people's, the people's, I look at it like, I look at it like, I watch, I watch people and how they get down. Now I'm like, damn, I would never.

You know what I mean? but teach his own you know me being me is you know the best thing in the world of me yes i wanted to be like mike growing up i wanted to be like mike yes but i didn't want to be him you know what i mean like i love being me everybody else is taking up anyway you know what i mean like i love i love who i am i i never disrespect my god all i know is what i've been told and that's a half truth is a whole line. For almost a decade, the murder of an 18-year-old girl from a small town in Graves County, Kentucky went unsolved until a local homemaker, a journalist, and a handful of girls came forward with a story. I'm telling you, we know Quincy Kilder, we know. A story that

law enforcement used to convict six people, and that got the citizen investigator on national TV. Through sheer persistence and nerve, this Kentucky housewife helped give justice to Jessica Curran. My name is Maggie Freeling. I'm a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, producer, and I wouldn't be here if the truth were that easy to find. I did not know her and I did not kill her, or rape or burn or any of that other stuff that y'all said. They literally made me say that I took a match and struck and threw it on her. They made me say that I poured gas on her. From Lava for Good, this is Graves County, a show about just how far our legal system will go in order to find someone to blame.

America, y'all better work the hell up. Bad things happen to good people in small towns. Listen to Graves County in the Bone Valley feed on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to binge the entire season at free, subscribe to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. I'm Hunter,

host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite-sized stories of missing and murdered black women and girls in America. There are several ways we can all do better

at protecting black women. My contribution is shining a light on our missing sisters and amplifying their disregarded stories. Stories like Tamika Anderson. As she drove toward Galvez, she was in contact with several people, talking on the phone as she made her way

to what should have been a routine transaction. But Tamika never bought the car, and she never returned home that day. One podcast, one mission, save our girls. Join the search as we explore the chilling cases of missing and murdered black women and girls. Listen to hunting for answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. In early 1988, federal agents raced to track down the gang they suspect of importing millions of dollars worth of heroin into New York from Asia.

We had 30 agents ready to go with shotguns and rifles and you name it. But what they find is not what they expected. Basically, your stay-at-home moms were picking up these large amounts of heroin. They go, is this your daughter? I said yes. They go, oh, you may not see her for like 25 years. Caught between a federal investigation and the violent gang who recruited them, the women must decide who they're willing to protect and who they dare to betray.

Once I saw the gun, I try to take his hand and I saw the flash of light. Listen to the Chinatown Stang on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or anywhere you get your podcasts. It may look different, but native culture is very alive. My name is Nicole Garcia, and on Burn Sage, Burn Bridges,

we aim to explore that culture. It was a huge honor to become a television writer because it does feel oddly, like, very traditional. It feels like Bob Dylan going electric, that this is something we've been doing for a kind of two years. You carry with you a sense of purpose and confidence. That's Sierra Taylor Ornellis, who with Rutherford Falls became the first native showrunner in television history. On the podcast, Burn Sage, Burn Bridges, we explore her story, along with other native stories, such as the creation of the first native Comic-Con, or the importance of reservation basketball. Every day, native people are striving to keep traditions alive

while navigating the modern world, influencing and bringing our culture into the mainstream. Listen to Burn Sage Burn Bridges on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. By wanting to be something else. I never disrespect him. You know what I mean? By wanting to be somebody else.

I love, I didn't win a championship, but I'm the people's championship. I love, you know, people coming to me, AI, what you doing here? I'm in Walmart or I'm in Target on the grocery store. You know what I mean? What you doing here? I'm hungry like you. You know what I mean?

Where's your entourage? Where's your security, man? That part of my life is, I just, man, I'm not a thug. I'm not a gangster. You know, who hurt me for what? You know what I mean? What am I scared to just, you know what I mean? Like, what am I?

I always say you're the only player who? I said you're the only player who didn't win a ring who feel like a champion. Absolutely. To us, like, yeah, AI champ. Yeah, I got 10 rings. It's crazy that you say that because I'm blessed. Look at all of the, look at all of the other things

that he's done for me. When I wake up every morning, when I say my prayer, because I don't do it at night, I do it in the morning, I fall asleep and forget watching seven and son, you know what I mean, all night and I'm gone. But when I pray, I pray for my family, I pray for my friends, you know what I mean, keep us healthy, keep us safe if, you know, be sick, cure us. You know what I ain't never asking for no money.

I never ask them for no opportunity. I never, just, I'll handle the rest. Just keep us safe, keep us healthy. And I'll go out, I'll come out there and open the door and say, what's up, world, what you got there? Got the off, what's going on today? and then navigate through it and tackle it. You know what I mean? Like, I'm blessed, you know what I mean?

So a championship, you know what I mean? I'm top 75 all the time. You know how many players played this game, man? Millions and millions and millions. I was said that I was told that I wasn't even, I was too small. I couldn't make it. You can't make it in this type of game.

And, you know, and I'm a Hall of Fame. You know what I mean? All-Star scoring champion. You know what I mean? like I'm just not a champion you know what I'm not I'm not we came up short to a jugger night Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neill right in their prime you understand like I'm I'm cool with that you know what I mean now now I get an opportunity I'm still here I get the root for that's why I want certain people that haven't won

a championship to win one I want I want them to feel you know how I never got the opportunity to feel yeah so when people talk about who you want to win this year I want to see the guys win that haven't done it before you know what I mean you would do things that nobody ever did if if you did it you would go so viral these days you had your mother bring your head at the game that was not my mom what was the who was it was mom okay so you're on everybody think it was mommy okay all right so that was your aunt why it wasn't no time before y'all was rushing no no listen okay first of all you already know Jess and I and I know you might have you might not

to joke about it but you you probably joked about it to your home girls or your home boys or whatever because i ain't never had my hair always been long up here i ain't never had no hang time i ain't never i mean it's the truth you know what and um you know if you don't put rubber bands in my joint then they would come out yeah so we were actually rushing i used to i used to get to the game so late you know because I just leave so late with the traffic going to the game I always get caught into it and I always had to ride on the um medium strip yeah so I'm um playing it was like first quarter and I felt you know it was coming out and I my aunt was um in the stands I was like yo she came and just oh fix it up I mean

it was simple as that back in the game okay it was simple as that that photo is like so loved and cherished now but when it happened at the time did you feel like people, like, loved and cherished the moment? And how did you handle how people would come for your family because you are such a family person? Damn, that's a good question. I don't want to say I didn't, I didn't care, but it was like, what you're going to do?

Like, there's nothing you can, you can't, I'm not going to change. I could. can change what people think about me. This book not gonna change what people think. This documentary, motherfucker don't like you, they don't like you. They hate you, they hate you. They're gonna find some reason, you know.

They don't find some reason to not like you. That's what you deal with and it's like I had to learn that early. Like, you know what I mean? Like for real, like everybody not gonna love you. You know what I mean? You just concentrate on the ones that do. You just appreciate the ones that, that love you, you know what I mean? I mean, they're going to say crazy shit, you know what I mean?

I heard somebody say, Michael Jackson can't sing. You know what I mean? Like, I mean, I've heard it. Yeah. So when you ranking people and, you know what I mean, ranking where AI stand and this and you know what I mean, like you paying attention to with the comments and what people say and, man, listen, you're going to be hurt for a while. Like, the comments even on Instagram, like, I pose a picture of my daughter up there.

And, dude, I'm looking at the comments for whatever reason, you know what I mean? Like, I need my ego stroke anymore. You know what I mean? Look, man, fuck that little ugly bitch. You know what I mean? I'm like, damn. Like, I'm like, okay, I don't do the comments no more. You know what I mean?

Like, get off of that. Turn back on same for the son. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? It's like, it's like people going. you know that's what that's what they do because a lot of times people when we talked about that earlier they wake up and they mad at their own like yeah and you know that's just that's the world we the world we we live in I that's the reason I can't be a um a commentator yeah yeah like I'm not getting up there talking bad about nobody man you talk about that

in the book I just I just that's not something that because if just think about it if you're NBA basketball player and you never get in the game everybody think you're a bum put them in the game how you get there first of all right and then put them on the court you know what I mean with anybody else put them in the YMCA put them on the court on the college court you know what mean high school whatever it looked like Michael Jordan out there you know what I mean and I just respect everybody that made it because I know what I actually went through you know what I went through a lot to get there like I'm I end up being the first pick in the draft and a couple of years ago I was getting released from jail you

know what I'm saying so I don't know I just I just respect people that that that want to do something they don't let nobody stop them yeah we're trying to do it I seen also that you I seen an interview you gave up drinking six months ago yeah well got you that point where you said this is enough it was it was I'll be lying if I would say it just just stopped the brother you know You know what I mean? It was situations. You know what I mean? You know, where's my shit at?

You know what I mean? Like, I know I put it here. You know what I mean? It's the same thing. We're having certain guys around you. Everybody, when they're your people, your people know when you're drunk. You know, just chill, man.

Just get him up. Two more glasses at dawn, man. Hey, yo, man, I fucked up right now, man. God damn, I need you. You know what I'm saying? Man, my this going on, that going on. You know, man, I need you. You waited until I get this,

because when I, and Emmy just talked about it. When I get nice, man, we'll get you the shirt on this dog, man. Hey, man. And in the $2,000, I got my pocket, man. Yo, I went to sleep last night, $25,000 on me. You know what I got $1,200? You couldn't wait to run through the liquor's tough for you.

Yo, what my, what my sneakers? What my, man, you gave such and such, at your lowish niggas, you gave, your sister, your, your fur coat, you gain, da, da, da, that, you know what I mean, like. And I mean, that's just small shit compared to the real, you know what I mean, not feeling well, you know what I mean?

I did all this and I was having fun last night to wake up feeling like this, you know what I mean? Then my responsibilities, you know what I mean, you're missing flights and, you know what I mean? I mean, just a plethora of things, man, you just drinking, you know what I'm saying? Like, I started to evaluate and like, what good does it do for me? Yeah, yeah, you understand? Like, you, I mean, you can have fun with your own boys, your home girls, you know what I mean, without that.

And I found out that that's something I, you know, got to get used to as well, you know what I mean? because I don't like being around a bunch of drunk people and I ain't like we can't have a conversation like I'm talking I'm trying to get you to understand something but I'm talking to somebody drunk you know what I mean you ain't trying to hear nothing I'm talking about we ain't

our conversation is not going to matter until some other time you know what I mean and so if Bronn called you right now and he said hey man Hennessy got this bag for you got damn by no bag I don't I've been there and I don't have had it and I don't experience having millions and losing like and I'm not talking about I'm I've always been a millionaire you know

I mean I'm gonna make millions regardless but for me once I on hit the pinnacle you know 10 million a year is not enough for me yeah you know what I mean like is is is it's not enough like but at the same time if I won the lottery if I hit one of them joints that went up to a billion or something like that mm-hmm the last thing I would want is for anybody to know you know what I'm saying like man that's that's the last thing like man you know what I mean but like I wouldn't I wouldn't I wouldn't sell my and I and I talked to God about it I asked them to help me be strong I ain't go to no A and nothing like that like I was like okay I'm not I'm not doing it and that's what

it was and the crazy thing about it is I've been with her for 15 I remember for 35 years and since I was 15 and this crazy part about it is she said when I told her I was stopping that after that she prayed on it and she said that was the only time that she ever prayed on it

like I've said it plenty of times in the past and she said that was the only time that she prayed on it and I was authentic with it was there ever a time in your life where you truly felt like a kid because when I read your book

it feels like you never got the opportunity to be a child Hell yeah. I remember like, people talk all the time about how, man, how was it, how tough was it, you know, growing up poor, you know what I mean? I'm like, it was the best, you know what I mean, like, you know what I mean? Because everybody around me was, it won't like everybody, you know, it was only until I got to high school and I'm wearing like, I had two, what, three pair pants and my, and one

of them was my sisters, you know what I mean? And I, you know, it was bad. And I'm looking at it's called Farmington, you know, where I'm from, you know what I mean? And you see the kids on Farmington, they come in there dressed like they got the polo and the guests on. You know what I mean? I'm like, damn, Jopos and those dudes, that was competition for real. You know what I mean? They come up with their act legends and, you know what I mean?

Like, it was, it was tough. But, you know, before then, it was like, man. Man, you know what I'm saying? Like, all I wanted, all I wanted growing up was a pair of Jordan. Yeah. That's it. I ain't give a damn. I go to school.

I have a goddamn pamper on. As long as I got the Jordan, you know what I'm saying? Like, it was, it was, it was, it was nothing to me. I was a kid, man. I mean, I was a kid. I didn't, I had a childhood, man. I don't have no excuses on anything that's happened. in my life I don't have no one to blame I don't have I don't man I don't when

things don't go right you know what I mean when when you ask somebody to do something for you you know what I mean they don't do it how mad can you get with them but I'm not doing it do it yourself you know what I mean or don't don't don't put that on them you know what I just I just I just I concentrate so much I like we just you just heard me going about the seven and something like and my my girl said like how do you watch this every day

you know what I'm saying how do you watch good times every like I love now I love my gangster shit like I love you know all of that you know what I mean but I just like the lead

I like the last I like a kid again yeah like a kid again and I oh it ain't that bad you ain't you know obviously dead that's one thing but you ain't in jail man you ain't blind

you ain't deaf you know what I mean you got all your limbs like what you complaining about you know that's the one thing i try to control in my life just complaining about shit all the time you know what i mean like i mean and it and it don't they don't do no good i mean for you to do it there's not one excuse in that book making none all all it is is accountability throughout the whole that's right ain't making none man and then because that's the easy way for somebody to look up to Allen-Iverson to have a cop out you know what I mean easy way you know what I mean

complaining about something man do it and and I hate when people think that like that is arrogant and that's I've always been confident I ain't I mean I've never been arrogant I've never been cocky just confident you know what I mean and the one thing about like just just people just It bothered me that you don't think that this is your world. This is your world. You're not being arrogant. You're not being selfish thinking, you know what I mean?

Like, you're the only one that matter in the world. You know what I mean? But it's yours. This is your life. Everything happens, you know, you the one. You ain't going nowhere. You might see everybody go before you. You know what I mean?

It's going to hurt when people go or whatever. But this is the one shot that you got, you know what I mean, to be happy, to make these decisions. and live with them. You know what I mean? You concentrate on making mistakes and hopefully you don't make the same mistake twice and live your life, man.

You got one shot at this, man. Ain't nothing wrong with being you, man. That's right. Ain't nothing wrong with it, man. You can't be everybody else. You can't, you know what I mean? You can't worry about what you can control, man. You know what I mean?

Like, I want some money. I want to be the richest man. I want all the money. You know what I mean? Yes. You know how you missed that on some money? Not registering AI as a domain name. How much time with that?

If you didn't register AI as a domain name. Oh, my God. I got the real AI. But register the sleeve. The sleeve, yeah. You know what I mean? Like, if I get that copy written, like the sleeve, man, everybody with, man, people playing golf wearing the sleeve. I seen R. Kelly had a sleeve on.

I said, what the Al Kelly fell off the stage? You know what I mean? The man got a sleeve on in the video. Yo. So, yo, man, like, the sleeve is part of people, like, it's a swag. Yeah. I'm wearing it, like, the whole reason,

I'm wearing it because I'm hurt. You know what I mean? Like, it was a lot of opportunities that were there that I passed up on. on but like I don't look at it like that I think now what like now what where you going at now what you're going to do that's right you know what I mean like every time God open my eyes I'm just you know I'm just trying to think positive but life be life like you know you get a phone call you know hey man like like yo I need you

to do this bro you asking me for this you know what I mean thousands of dollars Christmas is a couple days away like why you ain't asking me this you know what I mean man I'm asking you I know can you do that alright I'm gonna do it for you you know what I mean And that's why they do it I ain't saying it

I've been there He know what he is And all the people that I'm talking about They ain't Certain people are not gonna get upset Because they know I'm not talking about You know what I mean But you know like dude

You know I say yo I'm gonna do it I take care of that You know what I'm my man I take care of that You know what I said But I'm gonna do it with my card put it on my car, so send me the information. Niggas don't like that.

I'm gonna do it on my car. Oh, no, no, no. Yeah, I need cash, man. I need cash. What difference do it, Megan? It's gonna be taken care of. The biggest can't be choosing. You know what, it's gonna take care.

Differences is a lot. And then I got called a clown and, you know what? Yeah, crazy. Like, I'm talking about, I've been, this dude was my home voice since I was like 30, I mean, like, it's been 30, 38 years. Man, I'm been home. You went above and beyond, my brother.

That's right. Has anybody ever tried to, like, come to you and say, look, Chuck, look, my bad, I was tripping. Like, back then, I kept asking and accident and accident and you would do it, and I just, I took advantage for you. Has anybody ever come to you to take accountability, one person? You are incredible. Because it just happened. It just happened. And my man was telling me that the same thing you just said, he told my man that,

man that. My man told me. And it was like, went on deaf ears. I was like, man, yes, I've heard him say that before and he keep doing it. You know what I mean? Like, you keep doing it. You know what I mean? Like, the hardest part, like, the hardest part is when is a homeboy, a home girl and you want to cut them off because of how they treat you, not because of how you treat them. You know, they think you're treating them bad because you implemented that. You know, word no in your vocabulary but the hardest thing is when it's somebody that you love the hardest thing is questioning yourself yeah damn am I wrong for this yes am I going too far you know what I mean like you always try to look at yourself and feel like if you could

have did something wrong I mean I'm sorry if you could have did something right you know what me um nothing wrong boundaries my brother yeah i got a question for you you talked about your wife to wanna praying over you decided not to drink anymore as a husband what have you discovered now a boyfriend y'all married for like man you're married for like you're married not i didn't understand that in the book yeah well i mean you married divorce and y'all got right back together like six months later or something you said i'm i mean i i'm i want to i want this point to Because you think I'm who I am, and I was out of control. I was out of control, and this threat was there for years.

For years and years and years and years and years and years. And it's like the boy cried wolf, like, whatever. I heard that before. You know what I mean? And then it was like she got to the point with like, yo, I got a show this mom. I got to do something to show them. I'm serious. And that's what happened.

You're in that courtroom and you're looking over there and you see number one right there and you're looking down at that paper and them tears hitting that paper and they don't say, you know, I've been Georgetown versus Georgetown and it's been a scrimmage or sixes versus sixes and you're looking at the stat sheet, whatever. I'm looking at Iverson versus Iverson. You know what I mean? And like, yo, shit is real, you know what I mean? Like, and, um, did you wear a suit?

Oh, my love. Oh, my God. And look, I really was defiant then. Okay. You know what I mean? Like, you got me in here, you know what I mean? Like, and I had a judge, a judge was vicious. Like, I couldn't do nothing right.

Even in that moment you were defiant. Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. No, no, it's your interview. I was just gonna say, even in that moment you were defiant and, I guess, upset, even though you knew, because you said you knew you were out of control. control. But so like in that moment, why are you defining upset if she's just doing what she thinks is going to help, I guess, to get you to a better spot for her? I was selfishly thinking about my demise because I know in my heart and in my mind that I can't live without you know what I'm saying? Like I know it. I know it. I took. I

I took her love for me for granted, you know what I mean, like as far as she loving me so much that I felt like, you know, that she would never, she would never go nowhere. Like, this is all I've known. This is the only love that I've ever known as far as, like, I've never loved someone like this in my life. You know what I mean? And then a lot of times, you know, all women would say, or even guys, you know, anybody that's, you know, logical about anything.

love her so much and you do the things and I don't have an answer. We never do though. No. As men, we never do. We don't know why we do the dumb shit we do. So how has not drinking and, you know, it seems like your, you know, your focus is different in this time of your life? How has that made you guys rediscover each other in a relationship?

Oh, yeah. I'm, um, um, um, um, um, uh, I'm Claire, Huxstable. I'm in Cliff. She's Claire. I'm Cliff Huxstable now. Like, I'm, I'm, I'm, um, I'm, I'm, um, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm. I kind of get a feeling like I'm the guy. Like I always felt like, you know, I was the guy she always wanted, you know what I mean,

wanted to, you know, wanted me to be. But I really feel like that guy now. Like, I feel like it's not the Hux Bulls around there, obviously. But, like, she love, you know, this me, you know what I mean? Because you always getting this me. It's hard to take advantage of somebody that can see. shit clear as hell you know what I mean opposed to being nonchalant about everything you know what I mean like it's a you know my home boy says it's a different chuck now you know

what I see I see what I mean all the stuff that I used to you know not pay attention to I'm paying attention to it now you know what I mean and I just think you know by me making this decision, it's so much better for not just myself, everybody around me. I can help better. My advice is better. You know what I mean? Like, I'm a better friend now. I'm a better family member. I, you know, this shit is clear. You know what I'm saying? Like, I promise you I'm the smartest man in the world because I know I'm not. You know what I mean? I know I'm not. Like, but I know how, if it's a certain field of, you know, how we need some help, helping, you know what I mean, opposed to just, just doing it all way and thinking we know, no, man, we got to go to this person,

we got to go to that person, we got to do it this way, we got to do it that way. You know what I mean? Put your ego aside, man. We're trying to get it done. We need to get it done. But we're going to get it done right. And it's just an evolution of me. It took long.

Yeah. You know what I mean? But I just think about it like, yo, you embarrassed. You know, first, it was embarrassing to, you know, talking about that scene, the shit went viral yesterday. And you're embarrassed, you know, with the whole thing. But it's like, damn, bro, that's another thing that, you know, by you being you and being comfortable in your own skin, it's going to help somebody else. Somebody might make that decision. You're right?

You know what I'm saying? Was there ever a time, because I didn't get it from the book where anybody recommended therapy to you? Because it was clear you was dealing with a lot of, my girl. Okay, okay. Like, you need some help. You know what I mean? You don't remember what we was, how you coming in? Hey, get up.

That shit you said last month? You know what I mean? Last month? Yeah, just starting shit. You know what I mean? And then she used to be like, you ran around with all these dudes all day long and y'all drinking and have a ball

and you come in here fucking with me. I'm talking about where your piece is at, man. You know what I mean? But women know you leave that house, man, we're tackling the world. Yeah. Like you, hey, it's going down. It's hard for me, like I said, to go to the grocery store, to go to Target, Walmart. I got to be out in the night every day I walk at the house.

And one thing about it, everybody, everybody out there, if you think about it, somebody going to see you and feel like this is the last opportunity that I'm ever going to get to see him. And this is my moment. That's right. You know what I mean? When they see. Oh shit. It's like, and then you, you, you're something.

and you're paying for something and then you finish and you turn around and you see so many people, you see cameras and you see, and they do the shit, y'all-a-mey, like, like, they're getting ready to jump rope, you see everybody like, you know what I'm saying, like, everybody, everybody time, you know what I mean? And it's like, it's like, bro, you want to be, you want to, like, you want to, it's so much you go out, when you come in a crib, man, it's supposed to be, ah, you know what saying like fall on you know on the couch and and and you'd have made it through the storm you know what I mean because like my my fans like they they got real love

man you know what I mean but some of when you can this you can distinguish a fan a true fan and just somebody that you know give a damn about how nice you was on the court because a true fan give a fuck about you you know what I mean like you feed them feeding my daughter you know what I mean I'm in restaurant and stick a piece of paper and a pen and sign this right here AI you know what I don't baby um let me and I I you know I love women you know I mean to death I love all my fans but women fans are they don't like taking no one answer you know what I mean do tell you know all the time but me somebody you

don't know tell you know you go crazy in a minute I'm gonna feed my daughter right now well fuck you then AI Kobe Bryant better than you anyway yeah I'm gonna burn these shoes i bought i bought your shoes i bought your jersey i'm like i ain't say no i just said let me finish my daughter you know what i mean like it's it's and it's just it's crazy i remember i was in davy and busses with the kids i'm on the phone talking to my mom and a lady walked up to me and she was like hey i let me talk to you i said hold on um ma'am i'm talking to my mom on the phone right now what's your mom more important than your fans yes i was like yo Jesus Christ.

What? Kind of quiet than that. I was like, yo, let me just get away from you. You know what I mean? But that's like, you know, all in the nutshell, man, being a celebrity, man. You say that, because people think about the money and the fame and the talent or whatever, man, you say you want this life and whatever. Man, you really, man, a lot of people, if they would meet would have been a jump off a bill

and put a pistol to their head and blew it off by now. That's the crazy thing. Lord John said that same thing when we had him. He said, you gotta be built, you gotta have tough skin. This is not an easy industry to be in. But your influence was crazy, because I'm telling you, them. And I was getting them and I was getting bitches

and I wasn't even gay. In middle school, I would come get my hair braided. And that's good. You told me your hand on hang time. I didn't even, but the bitches ain't know because I had the opposites. Right. Yeah.

So, I just want to tell you. Yeah, time in Philly, right? I mean, influence and impact and everything you did, but Philly embraced you so. much. And the person you aren't meeting you, I get it now, but you know, Philly don't embrace everybody. What was your time like there just in like, what were you doing, I guess, to lean into that? Or like, I don't know, like, did you feel the, okay, they love me here? Like, when you walk out onto the streets and... Not at first. Because people, you know, Philly

is tough. They're tough. And they call it, it's brotherly love. That's crazy about it. Um, my relationship, not in the beginning, but I think I have, I would, I would say Michael Jordan in, uh, Chicago, Steph in, um, Bay Area. Who else? No, they said the Bay Area. Um, now probably Shea in Oklahoma City. Mm-hmm. I think I have the best relationship with a fan base, I think, in sports history.

you know what I mean like magic to LA that's that's crazy and Kobe L L L.A., you know what I mean? They watched me grow up I was 21 years old when I got there like they watched me you know go through my ups and downs um but I played every game like it was my last and if you know Philadelphia that's all they really want like I could I was telling Steve yesterday like I could be out there I can go O for Winfrey from the field you know know what I mean, but they knew that AI played hard as he could, you know what I mean? I could look in the mirror after the game. Every game I played, hurt, sick, whatever, and look at the mirror and I never felt bad.

You know, I felt good. I'm upset about not playing well, but I knew that I played that game like it was my last. People in Philadelphia love that. And all relationship has been that, you know what I mean, since I've been retired with 15 years now. And the relationship is still the same. walk in the building is the same feeling and then the people in Philadelphia are used to me outside of being in that arena i've heard stories about you're going to barbershops and everywhere

everywhere applebees or was tgrii friday's club friday well i was a little younger so i came a little bit after you weren't there she wasn't in fridays when i was there but yeah club fridays was a thing it became the third largest fridays in the country you know what i mean like Like it was really a club, you know what I mean? Lines and start checking IDs, you had to get, you had to have reservations and, you know what I mean? Like it was crazy. You know what I mean?

In Philly, I love Philadelphia. I mean, I love it, you know what I mean? But it's just, just like Virginia, I can't never like live there, you know what I mean? Like when I retired, I went to Florida, like trying to get away from everything. Then it's just me, her and the kids, and no family, no friends, like, nah, you know what I mean, so I moved to Charlotte and it's close to Virginia, but, you know, I can never go live there again. Yeah. People are worried me the damn death.

You know what I mean? Like, but close, my mom could drive or hour flight. Right. They're saying you got a rap, but I do got one last question, man. You changed the entire culture of basketball, but to me, you changed black culture. You also change hip-hop culture from your fashion to your attitude to just your authenticity. When you see how the NBA in the world embraces. individuality now do you feel celebrated or do you still feel misunderstood no it's um

I get the opportunity like this is the opportunity for me you know I mean like all of those years you um you wanted to you know you wanted this ah man you got me wrong you know I mean talk about it to your family and your friends man I'm misunderstood man they don't they ain't getting it you know me it ain't like that and then this platform and then all the other big platforms you know just you guys give me an opportunity to come up here and ask me shit that i want to answer that that i want the world to know you know what i want them to know it ain't like that it's like this you know what i mean and then you're hearing it from someone else you know what mean someone else telling who alan iverson is then just to have the opportunity to do it and the

excitement about it is the long wait. Yeah. Because now I finally get a chance to, man, you was wrong, you had me fucked up. Like, that ain't what it is. You know what I mean? And going through your career, you can't explain to everybody, every situation. It don't, you know what I mean? And this book took years.

You know what I mean? The documentary took years to do. And man, I just, I'm just happy that I get an opportunity to tell my story or write my story and help and help and help somebody you know what I mean just like um you know Michael Jordan did for me you know what I mean like he if it wasn't for no Michael Jordan it would not be the Allen Iverson that everybody in the world no like I literally like he gave me the vision man like I'm like I want to be like him you know what I mean that's who I want to be him and Michael, Michael Jackson.

I want all the dudes to love me. You know what I mean? I want all the girls to love it. You know what I mean? I want to put that in one. You know what I'm saying? And I want to be, you know, not just a basketball player, but just big all the way. And I didn't get this vision until I started to take care of what I had to do on the basketball court.

And then becoming a cultural icon, you know what I mean? Okay. All these rappers, all these people. people in the world that want to just express themselves, the way they want to express themselves. Now they get an opportunity. Man, he can do it. Man, ain't nothing wrong with what I'm doing.

Regardless how it look. Regardless how I look. Everybody talk about that runway walking into the game, I'm watching it. You know what I mean? I don't like everything up there, but I just love their confidence of walking in there. Like, yeah, I'm doing it today.

You know what I mean? And like just my story, all I want is, for people to get out of it, man, it's all right to be you. It's all right. That's right. You know what I mean? And it's things that's going to happen in your life, and it's going to be tough. You know what I mean?

But that's when you're going to lean on, number one, you're going to lean on him. You're going to lean on God. You don't ask them any, you don't question him at all. You know what I mean? Whatever happened happened. My grandma told me when I went to jail at bowling, I was. I said, Nan'am, why are they doing this to me if they know I didn't do what they said, I did?

Don't question God. Never questioned God. And I've never done it since then. You know what I mean? Whatever he do, you know what I mean? I'm cool with it. You know what I mean? He driving his car and I'm just sitting there, ride shotgun, wherever he take me, that's where

I'm going and I'm going and I'm going to live with the results. So that's the only thing I want, I just think, man, live and laugh and love, man. We love you, brother. We love you too. Man, it's Alan Iverson, the Misunderstead is out right now. It's the breakfast club. I got to go. I got to have to come back in.

It's Alan Amison. It's the breakfast club. Good morning. Every day I wake up. Wake your ass up. The breakfast club. You're all finished or y'all done? The murder of an 18-year-old girl in great.

Graves County, Kentucky, went unsolved for years, until a local housewife, a journalist, and a handful of girls came forward with a story. America, y'all better work the hell up. Bad things happens to good people in small towns. Listen to Graves County on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts, and to binge the entire season ad-free. Subscribe to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. Short on time, but big on true crime. On a recent episode of the podcast, Hunting for Answers,

I highlighted the story of 19-year-old Lechay Dungey. But she never knocked on that door. She never made it inside. And that text message would be the last time anyone would ever hear from her. Listen to Hunting for Answers from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, everybody? It's snacks from the trap nerds and all October long. We're bringing

you the horror. We're kicking off this month with some of my best horror games to keep you terrified. Then we'll be talking about our favorite horror in Halloween movies and figuring out why black people always die further. And it's the return of Tony's horror show. Sidewise written and narrated by yours truly. We'll also be doing a full episode reading with commentary and we'll cap it off with a horror movie battle royale open your free iHeart radio app and search trap nurse podcast and listen now people called them murderers 10 years later they were gods today no one knows their names a group of maverick surgeons who took on the medical establishment who risked everything to invent open heart surgery welcome to the wild west of american medicine

i'm chris pine and this is cardiac cowboys if you like medical dramas if you like heart pounding thrillers, you will love cardiac cowboys. Listen on the IHeart radio app or wherever you listen to podcasts. Sponsored by Jasper AI. AI build for marketers. This is an IHeart podcast.