Allen Iverson arrives in Turkey to continue with his playing career
Former NBA superstar Allen Iverson finally arrived in Turkey on Monday 8 November, signalling the start of a new era in his basketball career, not with an NBA team, but with the Turkish club
Besiktas, who are slowly getting worldwide attention.
Iverson, whose NBA career took a step backward after remaining un-signed in the NBA during the off-season, arrived at the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul sporting his new team’s jersey and was
mobbed by dozens of fans who came to greet the former NBA all-star.
The 35-year-old guard, who said that playing in Europe is a chance to get back on track with his basketball career, agreed to sign a two-year deal worth $4 million with Besiktas. Iverson
enjoyed the attention he got on his first day in Turkey.
“They were great,” Iverson said in an NTV sports channel interview when asked about the excited fans who welcomed him at the airport. “The most important thing is to be accepted, to be wanted
and to be appreciated.”
Iverson also made a plea to the fans, asking them to come out and support the team, and promised that he will be interacting with them on and off the court as often as possible. “Before I
leave, I'll be speaking a lot of Turkish,” he added.
Iverson, whose NBA career was tainted by several troubles with team-mates, coaches and team officials, is expected to make his much-anticipated debut on 13 November when Besiktas host the
Oyak Renault. Iverson is excited about the chance of giving his team a title for the first time since 1975.
The 2001 NBA Most Valuable Player, who was supposed to arrive on 6 November but was delayed for two days, will join a team that is led by Australian centre A.J Ogilvy and American guard Mire
Chatman.
Iverson’s decision to play in Europe was viewed as his final option to prove that he still has a lot in him and he deserves to play in the big league after having a colourful
14-year
career. The 6' point guard has racked 24,368 points and is 17th on the NBA’s career scoring list.
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