Allen Iverson was one of the most electrifying players in NBA history, and decimated defenses despite his small stature. His ball handling revolutionized the sport, and his lightning-quick crossover can now be seen being mimicked every night on NBA courts.
The legend was recently supposed to hold a meet and greet in Melbourne, Australia. Unfortunately, it appears that things didn’t quite work out the way fans were hoping they would.
“So today I had a meet and greet planned in Melbourne with Allen Iverson (AI) NBA legend. Waited in line with hundreds around entire block for 2 hours. Fans told he was running late bad traffic but 90 minutes after original time (ETA) we were told it was cancelled. Disappointed,” wrote YouTuber Bren Protelli on Twitter on Friday.
So today I had a meet and greet planned in Melbourne with Allen Iverson (AI) NBA legend.
Waited in line with hundreds around entire block for 2 hours. Fans told he was running late bad traffic but 90 minutes after original time (ETA) we were told it was cancelled. Disappointed.
— Bren Protelli✨ (@DezenBren) January 23, 2026
Protelli wasn’t the only one displeased with Iverson. NBL legend Jason Cadee weighed in on the legend’s behavior overseas as well.
“Allen Iverson wasn’t brought to Australia by the NBL… there were things happening in Australia where he was coming across, the NBL get wind of it, they obviously figure out an agreement to get him to HoopsFest so he can play a part in that,” Cadee said, per Basketball.com.au.
“I landed Thursday (at HoopsFest) and by the time I landed I had already heard how difficult he was being and how much of a shit show it was. Late to stuff, barely spoke, first interview they asked him how Australia was or something and he just laughed and said ‘I haven’t left my room’.
“Just things where I’m like ‘why would you come’ if you’re going to be like this.”
Cadeee expanded on the experience, talking about how much he was looking forward to meeting the former superstar.
“Those who know me know I’m not a big go and annoy people for a photo, but I was like AI, most of us from my kind of age group, we grew up and we all had a love or we watched Allen Iverson play and respected him and he was a smaller guard,” he said.
“Iverson comes across and he speaks. He walks in the room and he speaks, he spoke pretty well for about seven minutes or eight minutes, gives the mic up and just leaves, that’s it. Apparently there was supposed to be photos, supposed to be some time to mingle, (he was) out. That was it.
“I was just like, in my head I actually said to myself, I’m going to get a photo with AI because there’s not that many people here so it won’t be too annoying, there was only about 30 people there. Just gone, out, didn’t see him again. I think he showed up to the Perth game that night for about 10 minutes and that was the last I saw of him for the weekend.
“But then I remember speaking to a few players, and I won’t mention who it was but one of the imports, he was sitting there and he’d kind of heard that already and he goes ‘man, I’m just disappointed… he’s a guy that we’ve all grown up loving and to hear that he’s just got no time for anyone… I just feel disappointed, like I’ve been let down.'”
One Redditor who gave his rendition of Iverson’s “appearance” in Melbourne called his behavior “absolutely disgusting.”
It’s safe to say that Iverson didn’t leave the best of impressions.
“Had a friend message me, took his son to an event in Brisbane, tickets weren’t cheap, showed in 30 minutes late, jumped on the mic, left straight after there was supposed to be meet and greet, take photos,” Cadee said.
“He said to his son ‘ask him for a photo’ and they said no photos and left.
“That’s what I’ll leave it with.”