"I was actually crying in my locker room, I never had anybody bust my a*s before" - A.I. remembers his welcome to the NBA moment

Allen Iverson made a living off giving people buckets during his career. Still, much like all superstars that make their way to the professional level, A.I. was not immune to his "Welcome to the NBA" moment. It came early on during his rookie season, and the man responsible was Phoenix Suns guard Kevin Johnson, who forced him to tears after their matchup.

Iverson once appeared on the Knuckleheads podcast, revealing how he felt after the first time a player schooled him in his basketball life.

"I remember I was a rookie, and I never had anybody bust my a*s before. For real, in my life. We played the Phoenix Suns, and K.J. gave me 39, 9, and 9. And it was not off athletic ability or something like that. He was so much smarter than me, he just knew how to play the game," he said .

I was just a puppy. I remember after the game Mo Cheeks telling me like one day A.I. you will give somebody 39, 9, and 9. And I was actually crying in my locker room. I never got destroyed like that. That is something I will always remember, but it helped me in my development of who I am and who I became," Allen added.

A necessary step

Through pain comes incredible learning experiences, and, fortunately, Iverson can acknowledge that he was a better basketball player and man for what KJ put him through.

It was a dominant performance from the Suns' guard, who showcased to A.I. just how far he had to grow to fulfill his professional potential. At that moment, Iverson knew his talent alone would not be enough for him to reach the mountaintop, and a level of gamesmanship and maturity came with being the best.

Even more importantly, all the credit goes to his mentor, Mo Cheeks, who recognized the hurt he was feeling but still ensured he knew that if he did the right things, he would one day be easily dropping 39 points on his opponents.

Related: Michael Jordan opens up about his older brother Larry not making the NBA: "He has always been a good player, but he just didn't grow enough"

Surpassing the giants

As a rookie going through the fire, it's often impossible to see the light on the other side of the tunnel. There was no way that Iverson could foresee what he would grow into as he cried in his locker that evening, but that's precisely what he transpired as the years went on.

Not only did A.I. reach the highest of heights for a guard in the NBA, but he surged past the likes of KJ and other guards who taught him valuable lessons early on.

Iverson didn't just pass the giants; he became a giant in his own right and one of the greatest guards ever to live. Ultimately, his experience with Johnson was a small price to pay for greatness.

Related: "If you don't respect anybody else in this league, you have to respect us" - Michael Jordan on rookie Allen Iverson