Hoops fans born in the 1980’s and earlier know all too well just how important Allen Iverson was and is to the game and culture of basketball. Arguably the most transcendent and most transparent star the sport has ever seen, Bubba Chuck was a trendsetter not just among fans but also his peers, popularizing the crossover dribble, cornrows, tattoos and more in a post-Jordan era that he all but defined. While the 30-something crowd holds The Answer to the highest esteem, does the next generation know just how important AI was to the game?
At a private event at the Reebok FitHub on Union Square, the space was filled with both media and famous friends and family of Iverson to show love to both the player, his Reebok line and the recently released “Curtain Call” collab with Packer Shoes. While the attendance inside ranged from the likes of Swizz Beatz and Fabolous to longtime pens of AI’s legacy like Russ Bengtson and Chris Broussard, what was perhaps most surprising was the mob of teenage fans in NYC pressed up against the doors and windows looking to get a glimpse at AI.
Holding signs and likely returning the next day for a meet-and-greet autograph session with Iverson for the launch of his Packer x Reebok Question “Curtain Call” drop, it’s clear that through YouTube highlights and word of mouth that the youngin’s were wise to just how important the 2016 Hall of Famer was and still is to the game.
Back inside the doors of the Reebok FitHub space, Allen Iverson chopped it up with Reebok exec Todd Krinsky who helmed the original vision of the Question and shaped the Answer line over the course of the last two decades. In addition, photographer Gary Land spoke on his time shooting Allen on and off the court during his career, with iconic prints illuminating the event space.
To peep the highlights from the Reebok Classic x Packer pop-up shop event with Gary Land, check out the official photos below. While the “Curtain Call” collab has since sold out, look for more Reebok Question releases to drop this year in celebration of the shoe’s 20th anniversary.
