Allen Iverson

Allen Iverson is taking a pass on the D-League. Iverson, the former 76ers star who was the NBA's 2001 most valuable player, has turned down an opportunity to return to basketball with the Dallas Mavericks' Development League affiliate. Iverson posted a series of tweets on Tuesday explaining his decision to decline an offer from Texas Legends co-owner Donnie Nelson to join the team. "I thank Donnie and Dallas for the consideration," Iverson wrote. "And while I think the D-League is a great opportunity, it is not the route for me. " Gary Moore, Iverson's manager, confirmed the decision with the Associated Press.

In July, I spent a couple of weekends with Allen Iverson in his hometown of Hampton, Va., as we discussed a possible book collaboration. What I witnessed was eye-opening: There was the time he hung out for an entire day with some 200 neighborhood kids at an elementary school, playing horseshoes and hoops with them as they swarmed around, calling him "Bubbachuck" - his hometown nickname. Not once did his infectious smile disappear. "I can block your shot!" One 7-year-old chirped to him. "Bring it on, Little Man," Iverson responded, launching a shot straight into the wide-eyed kid's outstretched hand.

The setup: It's May 7, 2002, and 4 days earlier the Sixers had been eliminated in five games in the first round of the NBA playoffs by the Boston Celtics, 129-87. It was Philadelphia's third-worst postseason loss. A year after reaching the NBA Finals, the club went 43-39 and there were questions to be answered. IT WAS BOUND to boil over and become public. Larry Brown had had enough. The organization had had enough. For years, Allen Iverson used verbal crossovers to get around showing up for practice.

AN ATLANTA family court judge presiding over Allen Iverson's divorce proceedings ripped the former NBA star as an unfit parent who has a drinking problem, according to a report. TMZ.com reported that the judge, who was not named by the website, blasted Iverson, who was married to Tawanna for 11 years. The couple have five children together. The website, citing the couple's final divorce degree, reported that the judge wrote, "[Iverson] does not know how to manage the children; has little interest in learning to manage the children and has actually, at times, been a hindrance to their spiritual and emotional growth and development.

The man who may be the most popular 76er of the last 25 years made a special appearance at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday night. There was an Allen Iverson bobblehead giveaway, and the beloved former guard showed up for his night. Iverson appeared on the court for about 30 seconds between the player introductions and opening tipoff. And it was like old times. The crowd gave him a deafening standing ovation. Dressed in a throwback red and gray Phillies jacket and cap, black sunglasses, and large gold chains, he waved to the crowd from center court.

ALOT MORE IS to be learned from Bill Clinton's antics than are dreamt of in Elmer Smith's column (Aug. 8). I have a big problem getting interested in Clinton's sex life. It's you "moralistic" media who made the Oral Office such a Big Deal. If you all weren't so terrified by your falling circulation and really wanted to help the American public find its proper options during those eight years, would you really have given Monica face time? Or would you have concentrated on the unsexy complicity of Bill with the Big Bucks that kept him in the race with equally amoral GOPsters?

Anybody else watched the premiere of Stephen A. Smith's show, "Quite Frankly?" I tuned in, out of pure curiosity, and was delighted to see Allen Iverson. The interview was great and showed that Allen has truly grown up, for those who still don't believe it. He is always honest and sometimes blunt, but what was nice to see was his reaction to Larry Brown's complementary comments; A.I. almost cried. This man is a rarity in the world of professional sports; even though he has grown, he has always been the same Allen Iverson.

Philadelphia police want to charge Allen Iverson - 76ers superstar, corporate pitchman, and cultural icon to the hip-hop generation - with aggravated assault, a felony, and making terroristic threats while armed. Police Commissioner Sylvester M. Johnson said last night that investigators would recommend to District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham today that an arrest warrant be issued. The recommended charges stem from a confrontation at the West Philadelphia apartment of Iverson's cousin early last Wednesday when he went in search of his wife, Tawanna.

A LLEN IVERSON is sure glad they have T.G.I. Friday's in Istanbul. The Sixers legend, a former regular at the Friday's on City Avenue, is now playing basketball in Turkey and told Philadelphia magazine's Robert Huber that he goes to Friday's in Istanbul daily. "Man, listen," he says. "I didn't know that the Philly cheesesteak wrap was that good when I was in Philly. I tried them when I got out here and every day since then. Every day since then," Iverson said. Huber asks Iverson, who used to lose big money regularly at Atlantic City's Trump Taj Mahal and Bally's, if he has a gambling problem.

If Allen Iverson exploded on the court the way he did in the postgame news conference, the 76ers might have won last night's game with the Milwaukee Bucks. Instead, they lost, 88-76, but the real fireworks came at the podium when Iverson addressed reporters. Playing his first game since missing the previous 10 because of a bruised right knee, Iverson used the news conference to vent his anger at WIP-AM (610) radio talk-show host Howard Eskin. Never mentioning Eskin by name, but referring to the show from "3 to 7 each day," Iverson went on a tirade about the show's host and callers.