Iverson speaks candidly about 'most miserable' season of his career

It's Thursday night at a Southfield eatery and two women are discussing the famous man sitting far across the bar area.

"Oh, he's not coming back, right?" one woman said.

No, Allen Iverson isn't returning to the Pistons. That has been apparent for months.

But Iverson, 34, remains in the Detroit area tying up loose ends (like waiting for his kids to finish summer school) and contemplating the next step of a journey that began as phenom in Hampton, Va., in the early '90s and will end when he is inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame five years after he hangs up his sneakers.

And on that day there will be scant mention of the five months he spent in a Pistons uniform, a tumultuous time that ended when the team said on April 3 that he was done for the season because of a bad back.

But the Free Press found Iverson in great spirits Thursday, and in his first extensive public comments since April 1 -- when he said he would rather retire than come off the bench -- he quietly reflected on the season and his future over a plate of chicken wings with a friend at a T.G.I. Friday's.

The Pistons' front office, players and fans were shaken as a franchise that had reached the Eastern Conference finals six straight seasons become an also-ran. And so was Iverson, who received a bulk of the criticism and became a symbol of what went wrong.

Of the season that ended with a 39-43 record, a first-round playoff sweep by the Cavaliers and ultimately the firing of coach Michael Curry, Iverson called it the "most miserable of my career."

Iverson declined to criticize the Pistons' organization, although he did say that Curry "wasn't ready." He had never been a head coach anywhere and had been an assistant only one season before he was hired last summer.

When talking about the reasons the Pistons' season didn't work out, Iverson did concede that he had a big ego and that he probably shared some of the blame as his scoring average hit a career-low 17.5 points for a four-time NBA scoring champ.

But he didn't ask to come to Detroit to replace Billups. He said it made him wonder now if there was any way for the Pistons' combination to work -- a first-year coach, an aging and injured Wallace, a new point guard and young players not ready for major roles.

"It was sold to me as we were going to go for it," Iverson said. "I was told that things had gotten stale around here.

"Now? I don't know. I think it may have been about the money."

Wherever he lands, Iverson may have to accept a reduced role. He chaffed at that prospect with the Pistons, and Thursday night he was repeating his thoughts he echoed several times during the season.

He hesitated when asked about coming off the bench. Finally, he said: "I don't know. I think I would retire."

In the meantime, he said he was letting agent Leon Rose field all the inquiries. He said he planned to leave the Detroit area in a couple of weeks.

He laughed throughout the conversation and had a greeting for every patron who stopped to say hello.

"I just want to go somewhere," Iverson said, "I can be happy to go to practice every day."

Iverson speaks candidly about 'most miserable' season of his career | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

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At some point he will have to come off the bench. He is not the same player he was.

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Well, last season was the most miserable for me as a fan. Too much behind-the-scenes drama. I will say that the team did not welcome him as they have welcomed others before.

He still needs to recognize that if he wants the ring, he is going to have to come off the bench. If he retires without a ring, it's nobody's fault but his.

I always knew him being on the Pistons spelled nothing but trouble from the jump. I hope he goes to Memphis because that is one of the only teams I can think of where he can still possibly be a starter.

maybe if he would have kept his ass out of the clubs and the casinos it might have turned out better... iverson and the pistons was a match made in hell that did not work... iverson wasn't ready for detroit [too many damn distractions which were unavoidable considering he rooms on standby at every damn casino] and the pistons weren't ready or really wanting of iverson... not much a fan of either but their splitting/break up was definitely needed...

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Iverson's attitude is what's killing him and it continues as we speak. Denver improved when he got traded, and the Pistons...well you know how that turned out. His ego is way to big to want to come off the bench though. I can see him as a Bobcat...and may have a chance to start their with LB.

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Iverson had one bad season with the Pistons.. and people act like his career is over. Yeah he has a big ego and such. But when he was with Denver, even though it didn't work out.. He proved that he could still score. He needs to go somewhere where he can be the best he can be and score.

His attitude will never change and that is why no teams are interested in him ..He been set in his ways for 12 years and I don't think he's changing ..He need to go open up a strip club and live happily ever after ..Nothing makes him more happy than some dirty ass strips and alcohol.

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There comes a time in every athlete's career they have to accept they are no longer good enough. An athlete's career is extremely short compared to other professions. I don't think they actually realize this enough.

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Last I heard he wouldn't mind playing for Larry Brown in Charlotte...

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He's like Shaq, their not the same players they were. only thing shaq is 7'2 and AI is 5'11. Everyone gets old, even kobe and lebron will one day.

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Iverson was never accepted in Detroit, Hamilton was too busy whining about losing his BFF Billups (who was thrilled to be in Denver)
Curry was not experienced enough to be a Head Coach
Stuckey was not ready for all the responsibility they put on him.
Iverson and RIP should have been the Starters
AI scored and was a huge factor in Denver, when he was there the Nuggets were not playing Birdman or Jones, Melo was still being immature and lazy (he has changed since then)
The Pistons were playing awful BEFORE Iverson joined the team!
AI can be a huge asset to any team, the Bobcats, Heat, Celtics or Atlanta could be good for him.
He is still the most entertaining player to watch and will be a Hall Of Famer in the future, he deserves much more respect than what the Pistons gave him!

Iverson was never accepted in Detroit, Hamilton was too busy whining about losing his BFF Billups (who was thrilled to be in Denver)
Curry was not experienced enough to be a Head Coach
Stuckey was not ready for all the responsibility they put on him.
Iverson and RIP should have been the Starters
AI scored and was a huge factor in Denver, when he was there the Nuggets were not playing Birdman or Jones, Melo was still being immature and lazy (he has changed since then)
The Pistons were playing awful BEFORE Iverson joined the team!
AI can be a huge asset to any team, the Bobcats, Heat, Celtics or Atlanta could be good for him.
He is still the most entertaining player to watch and will be a Hall Of Famer in the future, he deserves much more respect than what the Pistons gave him!