Allen Iverson was the face of the Philadelphia 76ers franchise during his time in the city of Brotherly Love. He was a true representative of Philly and the team because he embodied everything you would want in a superstar. A.I. was a talented player who embraced the leadership role he had to play as a veteran and star player.
Despite his need for a co-star, the 76ers never got a superstar to play with him. The addition of Chris Webber was welcomed because of his status as a star for the Kings. Iverson was ecstatic when he learned, but the 2005/06 was a disaster for Philly and their two stars.
"I don't know how to express it all; it just came to me. I don't have words to explain it but I know have a bonafide superstar alongside me. I'm just looking forward to making things happen. I'm just looking forward to getting on the court with him and get it done," Iverson said in an interview with Stephen A. Smith in 2005.
Iverson thought he would succeed with Webber
Before he got traded, the Michigan product was a legitimate superstar with the Sacramento Kings . He was the foundation behind their success in the early 2000s, as they went toe-to-toe with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Webber was the system's focal point, as he was the best scorer and was a superb playmaker and defender. Iverson and the Sixers organization expected to see the superstar version of C-Webb, but he struggled in Philly.
The five-time All-Star averaged only 15.6 points and 7.9 rebounds on 39.1% shooting from the field during the second half of the 2004/05 season. It was disappointing for Webber because everyone expected him to improve the 76ers. Unfortunately, it did not work out for him in the following campaign either.
The Answer thought he would get a superstar with him, marking his best-ever teammate. However, it did not pay off for everyone involved because Philly would not make the Playoffs in the 2005/06 season.
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Webber could not recover properly from the injury
Following his 2003 microfracture surgery on his knee, C-Webb did not look like his usual self. He did not have the same quickness that separated him from the other top forwards in the game. Allen expected that version of Webber to return, but he was disappointed that he could not get the best out of his new teammate.
The two players are still friends today but were disappointed with what happened in Philly. They would have been the most exciting duo since Shaq and Kobe, but health got in the way, and the knee injuries caught up to Webber. Chris wanted to step up for his teammate, who he considers the best player he got to play with .
The 76ers struggled to a 38-44 finish in the 2005/06 season as the organization hesitated in building more around A.I. because the superstar guard sent in a trade request, ending his decade-long stay as the superstar in Philly.
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