Stern, Thompson visited Iverson

Allen Iverson was a transcendent talent on the court whose words and actions off of it made him a polarizing figure. Now it appears that some of the guys who gained the most from Iverson’s on-court brilliance are stepping up to be there for him as he tries to keep his personal life together.

According to ESPN’s Chris Broussard, NBA commissioner David Stern and legendary coach John Thompson have both reached out to Iverson. Thompson, Iverson’s former coach at Georgetown, met with Iverson on March 7th. The details of that conversation are not known, but it’s safe to assume they weren’t talking about Xs and Os.

Stern reaching out to Iverson may be more surprising, but Stern has confirmed that he talked with Iverson’s business manager, Gary Moore. From the article:

Stern telephoned Moore Monday and asked how Iverson was coping with the myriad of problems that have come his way. Moore said the two spoke for about 10 minutes and he assured the commissioner Iverson is doing fine.
“David was genuinely concerned for Allen,” Moore said. “He asked about his daughter and his wife. He said that if Allen needed him he knows how to get him.”
Moore said Stern also asked about a recent Philadelphia Inquirer report that said Iverson was battling alcohol and gambling problems.

Whatever ends up happening with Iverson’s playing career and beyond, it’s nice to know that the NBA’s most powerful man is looking out for a former superstar during some tough times in his life.