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Allen Iverson Reasserts His Role in NBA’s Dress Code Fight During Book Tour

The Hall of Famer links his streetwear image to the league’s 2005 shift to a business dress code.

Overview

  • In a new interview on The Breakfast Club, Iverson says he became the face of the push that led the NBA to adopt a dress code and that he "took the ass whooping" for it.
  • He says suits were not part of his upbringing and describes his baggy clothes and jewelry as an authentic extension of where he came from.
  • Iverson recalls that once stars such as Kobe Bryant embraced similar fashion, the league moved to David Stern’s 2005 policy requiring business or conservative attire when players arrived at games.
  • He rejects the "thug" label and calls the backlash stereotyping, arguing that character matters more than clothing.
  • While promoting his memoir Misunderstood, he also revisits a magazine cover that he says airbrushed out his tattoos, which he describes as hurtful.