Allen Iverson will never escape the practice jokes.
Even though it’s been almost a decade and a half since the former Sixers point guard uttered the word "practice" more than 20 times in a May 2002 press conference, it was almost inevitable that someone would make a reference to it Friday night in Springfield, Massachusetts, as Iverson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Certainly no one would have been surprised if the charismatic Shaquille O’Neal made a jest at the expense of the former point guard. But Yao Ming?
Yes, Ming, the first speaker of the night, got in an Iverson "practice" joke less than a minute into his speech.
“When I heard that I would be the first speaker here tonight, I think that maybe somebody made a mistake,” Ming said.
“Don’t laugh, because I think this spot belongs to great Allen Iverson,” he continued. “You know why? … Because I need more practice than him.”
The big guys always like to pick on the little ones.
Philadelphia 76ers
Complete coverage of the Philadelphia 76ers and their rivals in the NBA from NBC Sports Philadelphia.
For the joke, watch the video above.
