Sixerdelphia reacts: Allen Iverson bound for the Hall of Fame

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On Monday morning, the 2016 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class was announced, with Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson among the 10 people to be inducted. Here at Sixerdelphia, we have a staff of passionate Sixers fans and seeing Iverson get enshrined into the Hall of Fame is a truly awesome thing to see. Not only did Iverson bring the late 90s and early 2000s Sixers excitement and heart, but he was the centerpiece, he was the franchise and he was The Answer.

Today, the Sixerdelphia staff share's their favorite memories of the 11-time All-Star, four-time scoring champion and 2000-01 NBA MVP:

Brandon Apter (@bapter23)

Conveniently, I didn't become a Philly sports fan until 1999-2000, when Iverson was really becoming a force to reckon with in the league. What I remember most about watching him is just how he didn't let anyone scare him. The amount of intensity he played with every night was unreal to me. Whether it was another guard or a seven-foot tall center, Iverson never backed down and that is truly what I admired about him as a player.

The 2000-01 season was obviously the most memorable one for him, winning the MVP award and leading the Sixers to the finals, but his performance against the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Semifinals was just unfathomable. He scored 54 points in game two and 52 points in game four and was a big part of the teams' 88-87 win in the pivotal Game 7.

Although Iverson went on to play for Denver and Detroit, he will be a lifetime Philadelphia 76er, because once he was traded, the team was never the same. The heart, emotion and passion that he put into his play was what fans loved about him and what players and coaches around the league noticed over his memorable 14-year career.

Matt Rappa (@mattrappasports)

I can still hear Matt Cord's player introduction in my head: "A 6-foot guard from Georgetown … No. 3 … Allen Iverson."

Growing up, I never really appreciated Iverson to the fullest extent that I should have. I thought the effort and pure talent that he produced every time he took the court was the norm to expect out of any NBA athlete. I soon came to the realization later on in life, however, that what Iverson brought to the Sixers was something special, and frankly, something that may never be repeated again.

There's a reason why the 11-time NBA All-Star, 2001 NBA Most Valuable Player and 1997 NBA Rookie of the Year receives a standing ovation every time he's in the public presence of Sixers fans. His grind and determination is something that epitomizes what every Philadelphia fan expects out of their athletes, similar to what Brian Dawkins brought to the Eagles and Chase Utley to the Phillies from 1996-2008 and 2003-2015, respectively.

While he never brought a championship to the city in the only NBA Finals appearance of his career in 2001, the positive things that he accomplished throughout his 12-season NBA career far outweighs the negatives.

Brian Startare (@brianstartare)

AI was one of a kind. I never enjoyed watching NBA basketball as much as I did when Iverson was playing. He was my Randall Cunningham, my Eric Lindros and my Chase Utley; the games always were more exciting with them involved and at the top of their game.

You always knew you had a chance for a comeback, a shot to win the game and most likely you would utter a "How'd he do that?" at least a couple times per contest.

AI, pound for pound, was the biggest little man ever to play the game. The 2001 season made this casual NBA fan glued to his television. I still remember the constant Daily News covers and the jazzed up Philly faithful riding around Center City with their Sixers flags draping from the windows of their cars.

For all of his tardiness, and off-court issues riled and rankled some but were ultimately that of easy forgiveness from Sixers fans, for Iverson was dynamic, and the total package. He was the hope of a starved basketball city. The Hall of Fame got this one right, and easy call for The Answer to take his deserved place amongst the game's greats. Forever.

Tim Kelly (@TimKellySports)

My favorite Allen Iverson moment was on February 12, 2005, when Iverson scored 60 points against the Orlando Magic.

Obviously, there are numerous moments from his MVP 2000-2001 season, but I think this moment was special because it came when the Sixers had become firmly entrenched in what's now known as "the Purgatory era". Individual moments in an MVP season, especially one where your team ends up in the NBA Finals, run together to a degree.

Though I've witnessed Kobe Bryant's 81-point game and other dominant performances, nothing will ever measure up to Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game. In my lifetime, this is clearly the game that was the most dominant performance by a Sixer.

Kevin Durso (@Kevin_Durso)

When the Sixers made their run to the NBA Finals in 2001, Allen Iverson was already the star of that era for the franchise, but he took it to another level in the playoffs. So when the Sixers completed series wins against the Raptors and Bucks to get to the NBA Finals, Iverson had come into the spotlight more than ever before. The Sixers only won one game in the series that went to the Lakers, but in the one they did win, I got the everlasting image of Iverson announcing his presence as one of the greats. The step-over of Tyronn Lue was the defiant act that represents Philadelphia so well. So we're a little rough around the edges, so we have a reputation for being notorious — Iverson represented those fans that night and with one simple, yet boisterous, action, he announced that the Sixers were there to play. The current Sixers are a far cry from that, which makes the memory of Iverson and the era he brought even sweeter.

Kevin Hutter

Practice? We're talking about practice? Outside of Philly Allen Iverson may be known for this press conference, but his impact on the city has been much greater than that. While Iverson was drafted when I was only 4 years old, I have immense respect for his accomplishments. To me, Allen Iverson embodied the blue collar hard working nature of Philadelphia. Often playing all 48 minutes, as the phrase goes, he left it all on the court. Nobody could ever claim that he didn't play as hard as he possibly could, or not do everything he felt he could to lead his team to victory.

While there are many moments in his career that you could choose as your favorite memory, crossing over Michael Jordan as a rookie along with many, many others, stepping over Tyronn Lue's broken ankles is my choice. It showed AI for who he was, incredibly talented, one man wrecking ball, and relentless competitor. You can see the disdain on his face as he steps over Lue, wanting more than anything in the world to win the game and the series. Though AI doesn't like how viral the clip is, to me it shows his drive and desire to be great, something many of us strive to achieve in our lives.

Even today, years after his prime, he still attends Sixer games. When he's shown on the Jumbotron and the crowd (rightfully) goes nuts for him, there's an incredibly disarming genuine smile that creeps onto his face when he realizes the meaning he has to the fans and the city. Congrats, Allen, the city of Philadelphia is proud to call you one of our own.