NBA Icon Allen Iverson Predicts the ‘Lebron James Hate’ in 2005, Warns Him That Critics Are Waiting

By Jess Smith First Posted: Aug 30, 2021 04:21 AM EDT

Photo : Matt Stroshane/Getty Images

The Philadelphia 76ers legend, Allen Iverson, tried to warn a young LeBron James about how quickly things change in the league.

Allen Iverson said during a 2005 interview that one day people love you, and the next, you're a villain for everybody. According to Fade Away World, the former Philadelphia 76ers guard talked about how things worked in the NBA and warned the then rising star in the league LeBron James that he might be treated differently in just a snap.

Iverson knew how things worked in the league, and if somebody knows what it's like to be constantly criticized, that's the 46-year-old NBA legend.

The Philadelphia 76ers legend was one of the most influential players in his days in the league and the NBA history. During his NBA career, "The Answer" got a lot of praise for his aggressive play style and scoring impact, but he also received plenty of bad comments.

Allen Iverson Predicts The LeBron James Hate

While talking with Stephen A. Smith on "Quite Frankly" in 2005, "The Answer" revealed that he spoke to LeBron James personally about how people were rooting for his failure, which would prompt the haters to come out and start blasting him.

'They love you right now, but please, believe me, the first incident - the first time something happens - they are waiting," Iverson said.

More than his prediction, Allen Iverson kept things real by letting his little brother LeBron James know that not everybody loved him as they said, but they were always ready to bring him down as soon as he made a mistake.

Iverson knew very well how that 'hate' worked. Iverson was constantly scrutinized in his NBA days. He couldn't do the minimum thing without receiving a lot of hate.

However, Iverson never cared about the hate and kept living his life, but things were still not easy for him. The then young NBA star, LeBron James, listened to Iverson's advice and has taken a similar approach towards the received hate.

Hearing all the criticism after doing whatever, LeBron has not paid much attention to that, and even though he replies to certain people who tried to disrespect him, it seems like "The King" learned how to live with all the noise around him.

With the current status of LeBron as the biggest star in the NBA, Iverson knew he would be held to a different standard, which hasn't changed after 18 years.

Even having some questionable decisions in his career, LeBron James still has managed himself just fine, and all of those decisions paid off as it was translated to rings.