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NBA all-star guard eyes China

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-09-15 10:18

This Jan. 20, 2010 file photo shows Philadelphia 76ers' Allen Iverson during an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers, in Philadelphia. [Photo/Agencies]

BEIJING - Apparently abandoned by the NBA, All-star guard Allen Iverson's eyes appear to be cast toward the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).

Iverson, who has dropped from the ranks of the NBA superstars in recent years, was contacted by a CBA team last month, according to his personal manager, Gary Moore.

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Moore said there is "legitimate interest" between Iverson and a team in China to work out a deal. The team first approached the 35-year-old former NBA MVP last month, but Moore did not mention the team's name and was vague on details.

The Foshan Liyuan, formerly the CBA club Shaanxi Dongsheng, which changed its owner and moved from Xi'an to Foshan, Guangdong province, this summer, is believed to be the team most likely to sign Iverson, who is also known as "The Answer".

According to web portal sina.com, an official from the Foshan club revealed during a meeting of CBA club representatives in Kunming, Yunnan province, over the weekend that it has been pursuing Iverson.

However, Zhang Xiong, leader of the Chinese national team and former head of the league office, said he knew nothing about the deal. Another CBA official, who attended the weekend meeting, did not answer her phone when called by China Daily.

Iverson's agent, Leon Rose, did not return messages for comment either.

Iverson, the four-time scoring champion of the NBA, was let go by the Philadelphia 76ers this March for missing training.

That apparently brought a sad end to his remarkable 14-year NBA career. Despite his travails, he was still voted an Eastern Conference All-star starter last season.

"We're very astonished, to say the least, that not one (NBA) team has contacted us with any interest," Moore said. "I just don't understand it."

Although his homeland appears to have closed its doors, Iverson, who has a huge fan base overseas, would be a major drawing card in China, and might see a familiar face in another former NBA All-star guard, Stephon Marbury.

Also discarded by the NBA, Marbury played for Shanxi Zhongyu in the CBA last season and negotiated with the club for another 3-year contract to continue his China sojourn this summer.

As the No 1 pick in the 1996 NBA draft and a four-time NBA scoring champion, Iverson will undoubtedly make any team more competitive and a potential championship favorite in the CBA.

Off the court, Iverson could reap serious rewards through the marketing of his jerseys and sneakers.

Suffering from an arthritic left knee last season, Iverson played just 25 games for the 76ers but still averaged 13.9 points and 4.1 assists per game.

Moore said Iverson is healthy and working out in Atlanta. "I don't think he's done," the personal manager said.