Allen Iverson Statue Gets Memed After Emotional Unveiling
He tried to hold back tears while speaking to the crowd.
Allen Iverson made his name as an NBA legend playing for the Philadelphia 76ers for a decade from the mid-'90s to the mid-'00s. He went on to play for other teams in subsequent years, but he always remained a beloved figure among Philadelphians.
Now, the city is memorializing Iverson's contributions with a new piece of art. On April 12, fans gathered outside the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex in Camden, New Jersey to watch Iverson unveil a statue in his likeness. He joins other Sixers legends like Wilt Chamberlain and Charles Barkley on the Legends Walk outside the building. Iverson himself took the cover off the sculpture, which shows "The Answer" in action holding a ball as he moves down the court.
the unveil from the ????. pic.twitter.com/njB9wWwanj
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 12, 2024
Iverson was overcome with emotions when speaking to the attendees at the ceremony. "I just want to say all the right things and just want y'all to know how much I appreciate y'all," he told those gathered for the occasion. He also joked that he didn't want to cry or get choked up. "I promised myself I wasn't gonna do this but it is what it is. I thank everybody for coming out. I thank everybody, like I said, for playing a part in this and making this dream come true."
"I just want to say all the right things and just want y'all to know how much I appreciate y'all." ???? pic.twitter.com/YZJBlb2ouC
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 12, 2024
However, fans online took issue with the size of the statue, as it appears to be only a few feet tall.
"Is this a statue for ants?" one person wrote on X. "Why is it so small? Did you guys run out of money?" another asked of the team.
"Should be 10 feet tall," another chimed in. "This is an L."
One person questioned "how they gave my man a trophy instead of a statue," while another asked "Did y'all make him a bobblehead?"
Is this a statue for ants?!
— Matt ???????????? (@mattsgoodtweets) April 12, 2024
Why is it so small? Did you guys run out of money?
— Robert Littal BSO (@BSO) April 12, 2024
Should be 10 feet tall, this is an L
— DUBBY (@DubDotDUBBY) April 12, 2024
How they gave my man a trophy instead of a statue…that’s crazyyyy
— MadGood Knicks Show™ (@MadGoodKS) April 12, 2024
Did y’all make him a bobble head?
— Anthony F. Irwin (@AnthonyIrwinLA) April 12, 2024
However, Iverson wasn't shafted and given a smaller statue than his Legends Walk compatriots. All of the sculptures outside the practice facility are similar sizes, with each one sitting on a pedestal and being at approximately eye level at its tallest.
For those of you who are upset. philly has a row of statues outside their practice facilities that include legends dr j, charles barkley and more. pic.twitter.com/s45J970ho8
— Subscribe to the Beyond The Numbers Podcast (@beyondthenumbrs) April 12, 2024
At the end of the day, when you're a legend, size doesn't really matter.