Editing Allen Iverson (section)

==Early life==
Iverson was born in [[Hampton, Virginia]], to a single 15-year-old mother, Ann Iverson.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125870182|title=A Town Divided: Allen Iverson And Hampton, Va.|date=April 13, 2010|publisher=[[National Public Radio]]|access-date=April 3, 2018|archive-date=June 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170619184611/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125870182|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=cronin_09122012>{{cite web|first=Brian|last=Cronin|title=Was Allen Iverson once sued over his 'The Answer' nickname?|date=September 12, 2012|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2012-sep-12-la-sp-sn-allen-iverson-the-answer-20120912-story.html|access-date=May 19, 2023|archive-date=May 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519031305/https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2012-sep-12-la-sp-sn-allen-iverson-the-answer-20120912-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> His father, Allen Broughton, was not involved in raising him.<ref name=cronin_09122012/><ref>{{cite web|first=Mike|last=Sielski|title=Iverson: 'I'm the best player in the world'|work=ESPN|url=https://www.espn.com/classic/biography/s/Iverson_Allen.html|access-date=May 19, 2023|archive-date=March 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230313143051/http://www.espn.com/classic/biography/s/Iverson_Allen.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

During his early childhood years in Hampton, Iverson was given the nickname "Bubba Chuck". A childhood friend, Jaime Rogers, said that Iverson would always "look out for the younger kids" and that "he could teach anybody." When Iverson was 13, father figure Michael Freeman was arrested in front of Iverson for dealing drugs. Iverson then failed the eighth grade because of excessive absences and moved to get out of the projects.<ref name="Iverson {{!}} Netflix">{{Cite web|url=https://www.netflix.com/title/80011846|title=Iverson {{!}} Netflix|website=www.netflix.com|access-date=November 2, 2018|archive-date=November 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181109071025/https://www.netflix.com/title/80011846|url-status=dead}}</ref>

He attended [[Bethel High School (Virginia)|Bethel High School]], where he started as [[quarterback]] for the school football team<ref name="usa_today">{{cite news |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/sixers/2004-02-18-iverson-toughest_x.htm |title=Iverson puts heart on line, ignores injuries |last=Nance |first=Roscoe |work=[[USA Today]] |date=February 22, 2004 |access-date=December 22, 2008 |archive-date=October 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020223738/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/sixers/2004-02-18-iverson-toughest_x.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> while also playing [[running back]], [[kick returner]], and [[defensive back]].<ref name="dp.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.dailypress.com/sports/allen-iverson/dp-top100-iversonsep24,0,4945489.story |title=Allen Iverson at Bethel |publisher=dailypress.com.com |access-date=September 24, 2004 |archive-date=November 1, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101191050/http://www.dailypress.com/sports/allen-iverson/dp-top100-iversonsep24,0,4945489.story |url-status=dead }}</ref> He also started at [[point guard]] for the school basketball team. During his junior year, Iverson was able to lead both teams to Virginia state championships, and was awarded the [[Associated Press]] High School Player of the Year award in both sports.<ref name="rockymtn2">{{cite news |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2006/dec/20/he-brings-baggage-but-also-a-big-heart/ |title=He brings baggage but also a big heart |last=Latimer |first=Clay |work=[[Rocky Mountain News]] |date=December 20, 2006 |access-date=December 22, 2008 |archive-date=January 31, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090131111854/http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2006/dec/20/he-brings-baggage-but-also-a-big-heart/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Iverson played for the "Boo" Williams-led [[AAU basketball]] team and won the 1992 17-and-under AAU national championship.<ref>{{cite web |last1=TEEL |first1=DAVID |title=AREA STARS EARN NATIONAL AAU TITLE |url=https://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-xpm-19920726-1992-07-26-9207260235-story.html |website=dailypress.com |access-date=February 2, 2019 |date=July 26, 1992 |archive-date=February 3, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203143522/https://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-xpm-19920726-1992-07-26-9207260235-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> This team was coached by Williams, who has been credited by Iverson as his most inspirational coach of all time.<ref name="usa_today"/>

===Incarceration===
On February 14, 1993, Iverson and several of his friends were involved in an altercation with several other patrons at a [[bowling alley]] in [[Hampton, Virginia]].<ref name="still playing">{{cite web|url=http://www.dailypress.com/sports/allen-iverson/dp-spt-legal-arrest-20110119,0,6234087.story|title=Feb. 24, 1993: Iverson still for Bethel playing despite his arrest|author1=Teel, David|author2=Chernicky, David|work=Daily Press|place=Newport News, Virginia|publisher=Tribune Media|access-date=August 31, 2013|date=February 24, 1993|archive-date=December 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203032247/http://www.dailypress.com/sports/allen-iverson/dp-spt-legal-arrest-20110119,0,6234087.story|url-status=dead}}</ref> Allegedly, Iverson's crowd was raucous and had to be asked to quiet down several times, and eventually a shouting duel began with another group of youths. Shortly after that a fight erupted, pitting the white crowd against the black crowd. During the fight Iverson allegedly struck a woman in the head with a chair. He and three of his friends, who were also black, were the only people arrested. Iverson, who was 17 at the time, was convicted as an adult of the [[felony]] charge of maiming by mob, a rarely used Virginia statute that was designed to combat [[Lynching in the United States|lynching]].<ref name="espn"/> A videotape surfaced of the incident that shows Iverson leaving shortly after the fighting began. Of the incident, Iverson said: "For me to be in a bowling alley where everybody in the whole place know who I am and be crackin' people upside the head with chairs and think nothin' gonna happen? That's crazy! And what kind of a man would I be to hit a girl in the head with a damn chair? I rather have 'em say I hit a man with a chair, not no damn woman."<ref name="espn">{{cite news|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/classic/bio/news/story?page=Iverson_Allen |title=Iverson Answers the Call |first=Mike |last=Sielski |work=[[ESPN.com]] |date=March 4, 2007 |access-date=December 22, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100724210859/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/classic/bio/news/story?page=Iverson_Allen |archive-date=July 24, 2010 }}</ref>

Iverson was sentenced to 15 years in prison with 10 years [[Suspended sentence|suspended]]. After he spent four months at Newport News City Farm, a [[correctional facility]] in [[Newport News, Virginia|Newport News]], he was granted [[clemency]] by [[Virginia Governor]] [[Douglas Wilder]], and the [[Virginia Court of Appeals]] eventually overturned the [[conviction]] in 1995 for insufficient evidence.<ref name="espn"/> This incident and its impact on the community is explored in the documentary film ''[[No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson]]''. Iverson's high school basketball coach stated: "They wanted to make an example out of Iverson." James Elleson, Iverson's lawyer, said: "Only defendants not given [[Bail bond|bond]] are [[capital murder]]ers." [[Tom Brokaw]] and the public played a huge role in the release of Iverson. There were rallies and marches for all four black men who were incarcerated, and Brokaw did a special interview with Iverson from the jail. In this special, Iverson was very apologetic and somber. Brokaw even said: "I thought the sentence was surprisingly harsh."<ref name="Iverson {{!}} Netflix"/>

Of his time in prison, Iverson said: "I had to use the whole jail situation as something positive. Going to jail, someone sees something weak in you, they'll exploit it. I never showed any weakness. I just kept going strong until I came out."<ref name="espn"/> The prison sentence forced him to complete his senior year of high school at [[Richard Milburn High School]], a school for at-risk students, instead of competing in sports at Bethel.<ref name="espn"/> However, the three years Iverson spent at Bethel were enough to convince [[Georgetown University]] head coach [[John Thompson (basketball)|John Thompson]] to come out and meet Iverson, and offer him a full scholarship to join the [[Georgetown Hoyas basketball]] team.<ref name="espn"/>