‘Not fair’: Sick kids let down by visiting NBA star
Former NBA player Allen Iverson has come under fire during his trip Down Under after leaving a group of sick children feeling disappointed.
It’s understood the sports star’s team promised a lengthy “meet and greet” and signing opportunity for a group of children with cancer in Melbourne last week, but it didn’t go exactly to plan.
One of the children who was there has opened up about the experience for the first time.
Twelve-year-old Eli Stevenson told 10 News Plus he is battling a rare form of cancer and was looking forward to the chance to ask Iverson questions and have his jersey and basketball signed.
“He didn’t say anything… His management said we could take a photo and then we had to get out… They said he wasn’t in the mood for it that day.”
While the children waited for their chance to meet the All Star, Iverson was heard telling Australia news reporters: “It’s tough, man, I’ve been here 10 days and it’s the adjustment… it’s been tough on me.
“You know, the time changes, we been here, we’ve been on a plane like four times, so you know, it’s a different time to, you know, at home.”
After back-to-back media interviews, Iverson did take photos with the children, then walked out. 10 News Plus has been told that after he left, he decided to come back and sign some people’s merchandise.
“It was really not fair on the kids,” said Eli’s mum.
“Maybe he might be having a bad day, but those kids are having a bad time. They’re going through cancer. You know, there’s a lot more important things in life.”
Iverson was in Australia as part of his world-first The Allen Iverson Experience tour, and he failed to appear at two other events the next day. Aussie fans flew interstate and paid hundreds of dollars to see him at one of those events.
Watch more from 10 News+ at10.com.au
Topics:Basketball,Cancer,NBL,Network Ten