VIDEO: Allen Iverson on his image: 'I'm a villain to people who don't rock with me'

"A positive Allen Iverson story don't sell. Nobody wants to hear that."

Ahead of his documentary "IVERSON" debuting May 16, the veteran NBA player sat down with The Players' Tribune to give viewers a glimpse into the misunderstood persona of the man who has both entertained and riled basketball fans over his professional career.

In the video, the 39-year-old explained how he was "judged from day one" and the media labelled him as a "thug" because of his cornrows and numerous tattoos, which he points out all have meaning.

But Iverson has now committed to no longer defending himself against the image that continues to follow him to this day.

"I had to learn the hard way that you're not going to satisfy everybody," he explained. "You don't have to know what type of father I am, what type of brother, what type of friend, what type of family man ... as long as the people I care about know, that's the only thing that matters.

"I'm a villain to people that don't rock with me. I'm a superhero to the people that love me and care about me."

Iverson played 14 seasons in the league between the Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, and Memphis Grizzlies before heading overseas.