“I was reckless in the sense of I wanted everybody to be happy,” Iverson shared. “I wanted to pay everybody rent. I wanted to pay child support. I wanted to, you know, stop people from going to jail. I wanted to pay their bond. I wanted to, you know what I mean, car payments.”

“When I go to the jewelry store, y’all go to the jewelry store. When I buy a car, y’all get a car.”

“I’d pull up in a Bentley and she’ll see it and say, ‘Son, I love that car. I want one just like it,'” Iverson recalled. “She was like, ‘You going to get me one?’ I’m like, ‘No, I’m not doing that.’ ‘Well, I’m gonna go buy one myself.’ ‘Mom, you got 15 cars. Here, take this one!'”

“I was out of control with it, man,” he admitted. “And then I thought I was going to play forever, you know what I mean? And God put me in check. That money got funny.”

When T.I. asked if he knew the most money he’d spent in a single year, Iverson’s answer was damning:

Iverson’s story has become a cautionary tale for young athletes everywhere. He’s since urged them to learn from his mistakes to keep their circle small, to implement the word “NO,”

Allen Iverson was one of the most beloved players in NBA history because of his heart. He played with passion. He connected with fans. He never forgot where he came from.

That same heart is what cost him his fortune. He wanted everyone to be happy. He wanted to take care of everyone who’d ever helped him. He wanted his mom to have 15 cars if that’s what made her smile.