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LeBron: 'I didn't want to be Michael or Magic. I wanted to be Allen Iverson'

Lucy Nicholson / REUTERS

On June 7, 2015, Allen Iverson will turn 40 years old. With that milestone fast approaching, NBA fans have cause to celebrate the legacy that Iverson left behind.

One such fan - none other than LeBron James - shared his fond memories of "The Answer" to Bleacher Report's Chris Palmer.

Reminiscing about his pre-NBA days, James recalls idolizing Iverson.

"I didn't want to be Michael (Jordan) or Magic (Johnson)," James said. "I wanted to be Allen Iverson."

When Iverson's jersey was retired in Philadelphia last year, James was one of many players to pay homage to the diminutive, yet larger than life, superstar.

James cites Iverson as his inspiration with regard to his on-court style. Iverson undoubtedly influenced a generation of young players to express themselves through tattoos, hair-dos (and don'ts) and pre-dress code era fashion statements.

On May 16, Showtime aired a documentary, simply titled "Iverson". For fans who were too young to experience Iverson's glory days, the feature explores his struggles leading into his college career at Georgetown, and his cultural impact on the NBA over the course of his 14-year career.

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