Before Stephen Curry tore up the league as the undersized underdog, there was 6-foot Allen Iverson.
In a sport dominated by hulks, the diminutive Iverson became the shortest player to ever be drafted first overall, lead the league in scoring, and win MVP honors. Iverson was beloved for it, and Curry was no exception.
"He was a guy I loved watching, just his entertainment value and knowing his story," Curry told Jessica Camerato of CSN Philly.
"It was inspiring just to know that you can defy a lot of odds and be yourself while you're out there on the court playing and changing the game. Everybody used to imitate his crossover moves, obviously starting with the one on (Michael) Jordan and every other one that he did in his career."
Being the son of a former NBA player that often matched up against Iverson, Curry got to see The Answer up close thanks to his dad Dell.
"My dad was on that Toronto team so we went to the games, watched," Steph recalled. "You'd see him out on the floor and you just kind of didn't think what he was doing was possible. His motor never stopped. His competitiveness and desire out there, he played with so much spirit and passion. You loved watching A.I. play because of what he brought to the table."
Related: Allen Iverson says Kyrie Irving and Stephen Curry's handles are better than his
Iverson got the best of Dell in the 2001 Eastern Conference finals. The Raptors pushed it to seven games, but Iverson won out after averaging 33.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 3.1 steals per game.
Steph has since taken the little-man torch from Iverson and lifted it to greater heights, and unlike other former NBA stars, Iverson appreciates what the Golden State Warriors star is doing.
"That dude, that light-skinned dude. Ah, man. I never seen anything like this in my life," Iverson said in February. "I was a certified serial killer, but this dude has it all.
"He got the jumper, his handles is what it is ... God man. This dude right here is unreal," Iverson said.
The Answer is among the finalists for the 2016 Basketball Hall of Fame class.
