2001 MVP Allen Iverson vs 2016 Champ Kyrie Irving: which NBA rule breaker had better handles
Carter Sullivan Allen Iverson was the flashiest dribbler of the 2000s but would is he a better ball handler than Kyrie Irving?
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Kyrie Irving is a modern spectacle. He is one of the most lethal finishers the league has ever seen. His ball handling is beyond compare.
The source of Kai’s ability is his creativity. At 6’2″, he is capable of dropping his center of gravity lower than most players. He employs otherworldly footwork to execute gravity-defying moves.
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Kyrie’s layup package is extraordinary as well. His ability to use any part of the board to land the shot is mesmerizing. It’s almost like watching an artist at work.
Now a Brooklyn Nets guard, Irving has been haunted the past few seasons by controversy. His refusal to take the Covid-19 vaccination cost him 53 games. The Nets crumbled under the pressure of Kyrie’s absence. However, he is undeniably one of the greatest ball handlers of all time.
But before the dawn of Irving, Allen Iverson had the most lethal finish-dribble combo in the league. A 4-time scoring champion, AI is arguably the greatest scoring guard in NBA history.
Iverson was one of a kind. His natural talent and persona dwarfed men much bigger than him. In fact, his impact on NBA culture was a defining moment for the league. Though Iverson’s greatness is without question, his bad boy image compromised his potential growth.
Yet, Irving and Iverson are cut from the same cloth. Arguably the best dribblers of their era, it is impossible to not compare them. Of the two short giants, who has better handles?
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Allen Iverson or Kyrie Irving, who is a better dribbler?
2001 Iverson was a bad boy. He wasn’t your LeBron James or Tim Duncan, a well-behaved boy scout. AI was the kind who followed his own rules. And he very swiftly executed this ideology both on and off-court.
Iverson was destined for greatness even before he considered NBA as a career choice. His style and swagger were never seen before.
The way he bullied parameter defenders or hung in the air for circus shots or dunked over big men holds a sacred spot in league history.
There was no one quite like AI before him. He would make defenders dance against their wishes. The crossovers, the behind-the-backs, in and outs, Iverson took them to a whole new level.
In 1997, he crossed Michael Jordan so bad that MJ may have considered baseball again.
That being said, pound to pound, 2016 Kyrie is a better dribbler than AI. Iverson is definitely the better scorer of the two, but Uncle Drew’s handles or on some different level.
He is unparalleled. His ability to gracefully glide away from any defender is too beautiful to be described. Irving has no signature move. For him it’s not about pulling a move, it’s about beating the defender.
He does what it takes. The moves are a consequence of the situation. Every dribble, every step so precise, so calculated, like a symphony putting you under a spell. Only capable of watching in awe as Kyrie Irving isolates a player.
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