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Iverson unhappy in Memphis

November 6, 8:14 PMNBA ExaminerSherron Shabazz
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Tonight the Memphis Grizzlies will visit the NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers and Allen Iverson will be coming off of the bench.

The future Hall-of-Famer wasted no time in expressing displeasure with his reserve role to anyone who would listen.

"I had no problems with my hamstring. I had a problem with my butt sitting on that bench for so long," Iverson told the Memphis Commercial Appeal.

"No. I'm not a bench player. I'm not a sixth man. Look at my resume and that'll show I'm not a sixth man. I don't think it has anything to do with me being selfish. It's just who I am. I don't want to change what gave me all the success that I've had since I've been in this league. I'm not a sixth man. And that's that."

This sounds all too familiar.

In April Iverson came off the bench for the Detroit Pistons after recovering from an injury and promptly started complaining.

"I'd rather retire before I do this again [coming off the bench], I can't be effective playing this way," Iverson said.

The Pistons mysteriously shut Iverson down for the season just a few days later.

The question remains, what were the Grizzlies thinking when they signed Allen Iverson? Did they expect A.I. to be OK with being a bench player? The season is not even a month old and this guy is complaining. Grizzlies Head Coach Lionel Hollins is frustrated.

"Man, look, Allen has played 20 minutes in two months," Hollins said. "There is no way we are making a change and going in a different direction. If you want to talk to me about the Memphis Grizzlies as a team, fine, but there is no way I am standing here and talking about Allen Iverson. Sorry."
 
Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley wants the situation to die down.
 
"This is a situation that'll be handled between Lionel and Allen," said Heisley. "What Allen said was inappropriate, but I'm not going to make a big deal out of it. Allen expressed his frustration about not playing and I understand that."
 
There is merit to Iverson's desire to start. He is an experienced veteran that can score with the best of them--but he's not the coach. Lionel Hollins made the decision to use The Answer as a sixth man and his decision should be respected.
 
With 77 games to go the Grizzlies better put water on this fire fast. Iverson's antics are disrespectful to the young guard combo of O.J. Mayo and Mike Conley, and may sour an already bad Grizzlies team. Head Coach Lionel Hollins has already had enough.
 
"I'm not commenting on Allen anymore," Hollins said.
 
For more info: John Hoffman, Memphis Grizzlies Examiner

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