"I was asked to pray for Allen Iverson. Actually, the "basketball world" was asked to pray for Allen Iverson. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Stephen A. Smith, that's what Iverson's close friend and business manager, Gary Moore, has asked us to do.

I won't.

Moore is asking for divine intervention in a career that was so blessed with opportunity and fortune. A life endowed with tremendous ability and natural talent. But Iverson's shortcomings are on him. Don't ask us to pray.

Iverson was one of the best to ever grace the hardwood. He was fast, tough and deadly from inside and out. He took a mediocre 76ers team to the NBA Finals on his back, and by himself, willed them to one gritty win over the Lakers in 2001.

Iverson, though, was always selfish. Later in his career, reflecting on his quarrels with former 76ers coach Larry Brown, Iverson said, "You don't know what you got 'til it's gone." Constant tantrums and the infamous "practice" news conference ultimately led to the end of Allen Iverson in Philadelphia and he was given new life in Denver. He still could not find it in himself to share the ball or the spotlight, averaging nearly 20 shots a night. "