Iverson's Dominican decision

SAO PAULO (Olympics) – In the year 2000, Stephen Jackson travelled from the States to the Dominican Republic to play in a team that wasn’t even part of the National League. Immediately after he finished his participation with Capitanes de la Bahía, a young Jackson started his NBA career.

Some days ago, Jackson was traded to San Antonio to go for his second NBA title at the age of 34.

Allen Iverson had an awesome NBA career. Four times top scorer of the league and feared by almost every opponent, A.I. became one of the biggest stars of the 90’s and the first decade of the 2000’s.

Iverson will turn 37 in June. And apparently, he still has fuel to go on playing basketball.

Iverson has signed a one-month contract with Capitanes de la Bahía, announced club chairman Mito Rafael Nuñez last Thursday.

“We hope he scores 40 points every game,” joked Nuñez.

Capitanes de la Bahía, aka Pueblo Nuevo, takes part in a regional league of Santiago, the second city in the Dominican Republic. When this column was being written, the team was second and Iverson was about to make his debut, expected to be on Sunday 25th March, everything according to Nuñez quotes.

The team signed him for a month as they expect Iverson to lead them to the playoffs. Should Pueblo Nuevo finish within the first four teams and qualify to the semifinals, Nuñez will sit down again to talk with Iverson’s agent.

The big question is: why?

Why is Allen Iverson playing in a regional league in the DR?

Why is that guy we learnt he could even eat garlic to bother his opponents starting his career again?

Why?

After he retired from the NBA in 2010, he tried to go on with his life in Turkey. A tough injury forced him announce he would retire from the professional game.

Iverson has earned officially millions and millions during his career. Whatever he has done with his money is not our problem. Therefore, if that’s his motivation to go on playing – and it can certainly be –, everything I could write about that has no sense. Sorry for that.

For an old guy like A.I., for an old guy who used to compete and win more than lose, it is hard to let it go. DR is a country we love but I’m sure it’s not Iverson’s goal to finish his career in the Dominican Republic.

He wants to go back to the NBA. And that’s fine. What we have to know as Latin Americans is that we receive him without expecting much from him. So, let’s put it the other way around: why do Pueblo Nuevo want Iverson?

That’s something easier to answer.

a) To promote the regional league and the Dominican Basketball. That could help to bring sponsors.

b) If Iverson succeeds and goes back to the NBA, good players will hear from the league and can use it as a springboard to a better league after Jackson did it.

c) If he’s fit, Iverson will definitely help the team to make it to the playoffs.

d) If he’s unfit and fails, Pueblo Nuevo will retire in their team for a couple of tens of dollars.

Take him. But just know why.

FIBA