Allen Iverson has formed a new partnership.
After singlehandedly changing the entire swag of the league, the former NBA player is helping elevate their mission.
Actively Black x Allen Iverson Collab
“I keep hearing AI this and AI that, but y’all know ain’t nothing artificial about me,” wrote Iverson in a post shared on Instagram. “I’ve always been authentic. Which is why I’m excited to partner with a Black Owned brand that is authentic and truly about the culture. The @activelyblack x Allen Iverson collab is coming soon!”
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His NBA Days
In June 1996, Iverson was the No. 1 draft pick for the Philadelphia 76ers, the team that he ultimately retired with after 14 seasons in the NBA as both a shooting and point guard. Dubbed “The Answer” well before he made it to the league, the nickname is said to have fit the Virginia native because he provided solutions to both the Sixers and the NBA’s problems.
AI's Influence
Beyond his unique playing style, Iverson brought a different look to the NBA. What’s more, he previously noted that it’s because of him that the league began to enforce a new dress code for players due to him sporting baggy tracksuits and chains while simultaneously showing off his tattoos.
“The only reason I felt like the dress code came in was because once they saw I was coming in wearing what I wanted to wear and I was getting away with it. And other guys was like, ‘Well sh*t, if he can do it, then I can do it too,’” said Iverson in an interview with Kevin Hart for his LOL! Network. “And that’s when everybody in the league started doing it. And that’s when David Stern said, ‘No.’ God rest his soul, but that’s when he said ‘No.’”
As a natural-born trendsetter, Iverson is also responsible for the shooting sleeve worn by players across the league today. During the 2000-2001 NBA season, he wore an arm sleeve due to bursitis that caused his right elbow to swell. Since he was known for his dynamic shooting style on the court, the “shooters sleeve” was born.
Beyond becoming popular among other players, fans began wearing the sleeve as a fashion statement. According to an NBA Store spokesperson, by 2008, it became the most popular non-apparel item sold by the league, per a report by Yardbarker.
Now, Iverson will use his talent and influence to collaborate with Actively Black, the premium athleisure wear brand “built to uplift and reinvest back into the Black community.”
