Allen Iverson is taking his talents abroad.
While stars like LeBron James and Chris Bosh headed for South Beach and Amare Stoudemire decided to star on Broadway, Iverson, a pint-sized former MVP and scoring champion, couldn’t find a suitable home in the NBA.
So, he’s headed for Turkey.
“My whole thing was being wanted, being accepted by a ballclub. That was the most important thing,”
Iverson said Friday in Manhattan after signing a $4 million, two-year contract with Turkish club Besiktas.
“I had a great time playing in the NBA. Who knows if I ever will again? But I wanted to show everybody I can play at a high level, not just the NBA.”
Iverson, an 11-time All-Star, waited all offseason for an NBA team to come calling, but none ever did. So he began looking at other leagues.
He ultimately decided the Istanbul-based club was the best fit.
“I feel like it’s a fresh start for me, and I just thank all these guys for giving me the opportunity,” Iverson said, “a chance to get back on track with my basketball career.”