Allen Iverson ‘Pound for Pound’ Greatest Guard – Jameer Nelson

Allen Iverson had a massive influence on how the NBA game is played today. He was the first Hall of Fame caliber point guard sized player who played like a primary scorer and carried teams to the finals. Before him, players of that size were expected to be pass first point guards, not guards who led the NBA in scoring for four seasons.

As such, Allen Iverson paved the way for many modern NBA guards who can both score and pass. Nuggets PG Jameer Nelson is one of these players.

Mar 1, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers former guard Allen Iverson during his jersey number retirement ceremony at halftime of game between the 76ers and Washington Wizards at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

According to Nelson, in The Players’ Tribune, Iverson is pound for pound the best guard of his generation:

"To me, Iverson was pound-for-pound the best guard of his era. No one competed harder than he did. As a teenager in the Philadelphia area, I watched him night after night. I kept hearing stories of how banged up he would get. People would literally beg him to take a night off, but being who he was and how big his heart was, he still played. Iverson left it all out on the hardwood every time."

With Nelson adding ‘pound-for-pound’ into his argument, he makes it hard to dispute. Iverson was one of a kind, often defended by bigger and stronger defenders. This didn’t seem to affect him though, as he cut to the rim with an impressive finish.