He came into the NBA at 21, and couldn't fathom why people almost immediately wanted him to act, speak and dress as if he were 30. He said so even then, and some people reacted as if he were somehow being defiant or belligerent.

On Oct. 3, he sat at the podium for his 10th 76ers media day as the team's elder statesman and talked openly about the ways in which he had changed and grown, being more accepting, more understanding of situations, even gaining a grasp on the job and responsibility of the media.

But Allen Iverson, at 30, remains the same in one wonderful way. When he has something to say, he doesn't hold back. When he believes in a cause, he holds his ground. Even this time, when he had promised people within the organization that he wouldn't bring it up, that he would save it for another day, he couldn't help himself.

This was about the dress code that the league will institute this season. This was about rules that will stipulate wearing sports jackets and slacks to and from games, to and from charter flights, at team-related public appearances. And he wasn't happy.

Dress code doesn't suit Iverson

BY PHIL JASNER

Philadelphia Daily News

PHILADELPHIA - He came into the NBA at 21, and couldn't fathom why people almost immediately wanted him to act, speak and dress as if he were 30. He said so even then, and some people reacted as if he were somehow being defiant or belligerent.

On Oct. 3, he sat at the podium for his 10th 76ers media day as the team's elder statesman and talked openly about the ways in which he had changed and grown, being more accepting, more understanding of situations, even gaining a grasp on the job and responsibility of the media.

But Allen Iverson, at 30, remains the same in one wonderful way. When he has something to say, he doesn't hold back. When he believes in a cause, he holds his ground. Even this time, when he had promised people within the organization that he wouldn't bring it up, that he would save it for another day, he couldn't help himself.

This was about the dress code that the league will institute this season. This was about rules that will stipulate wearing sports jackets and slacks to and from games, to and from charter flights, at team-related public appearances. And he wasn't happy.

``I look back on a lot of the mistakes I made, and I look back at just being young, just not knowing,'' Iverson said on the eve of training camp in Durham, N.C. ``A lot of times I just reacted instead of thinking, not knowing, but thinking you know everything. I think that's what comes with maturity; I pray every day to become a better person, then a better basketball player.

``(But) one way I haven't changed is my aggressiveness on the court, and when I feel a certain way about something I still stick to it when I think I'm right. I didn't change the way I dress like they're trying to make me do. I feel that is who I am; I dress to make myself comfortable. I really do have a problem with it. It's not fair.''

Iverson was, is, will be hip-hop. He's not a mainstream, boardroom-style dresser. He has done it on occasion, as in the playoffs, but it is not in his makeup. It is hardly his style.

The players know there will be a code, enforced via fines, etc. Some of the information came via Sixers guard Kevin Ollie, a returning player representative. Ollie prides himself on being jacket-and-tie stylish; he respects other players' rights to dress in a style that suits them.

``Hopefully, we can come to a happy medium, some type of compromise,'' Ollie said. ``The idea should be for everybody to be respectful and neat.''

Still, the rules - primarily described as business casual - will be there.

``Just because you put a guy in a tuxedo, it doesn't mean he's a good guy,'' Iverson said. ``It sends a bad message to kids. If you don't have a suit on when you go to school, is the teacher going to think you're a bad kid? I never wore a suit going in any park I ever went to when I was coming up. I just came from Japan, where I saw thousands of kids; all of them dressed like me, from the biggest guy to the smallest.

``It's just not right. It's something I'll fight for. I promised I wouldn't get up here and try to destroy anybody trying to make that (rule), but it's not right.''

There already are other changes in Iverson's 10th season, and he is ready for all of the others, from playing for a new coach - and old friend - Maurice Cheeks to a training camp with teammate Chris Webber to (shudder) the possibility of a few less minutes per game.

``I want to play the whole game, that's no secret, everybody knows that,'' Iverson said. ``Me doing that, that's probably impossible. I'm so far gone mentally and in my career, it's one of those whatever-it-takes things to get that gold ball. I'm 10 years in, and it hasn't happened yet . . . Whatever (Cheeks) needs me to do, I'm all for it. If he wants to cut my minutes down, I'd have a problem with it, but it'll just go down like that.''

He looks back on his time here in rapt fascination, and looks ahead with the eagerness and freshness of, well, a 21-year-old.

``I gave a lot to this city, I've done a lot for this organization,'' he said. ``I fought my whole career here. I became a man here. Coming in from 20, 21 with my talents, everybody expected me to be some 30-year-old man like I am now, and be at the stage I am now. It wasn't possible (then). I wasn't used to the attention, I wasn't used to the money, I wasn't used to being the main focus on an NBA team. I had a lot of learning to do; I had a lot of growing up to do. A lot of times, I learned the hard way.

``I went through hell here, from you guys (reporters), to coaching situations, even times with the fans. I really feel I'm a man (now). Being here in Philadelphia helped me become just that. I wouldn't trade it for the world. I took my lumps, but I had some great times here. I even became friends with some of you all that I thought weren't my friends. I had to sit back and really understand this is your job. I play basketball; that's your job. I don't look at you any more as just devils coming straight at me. I look at it as, you all have bosses, you all have jobs. When you don't have your notebooks and pens, then I'll judge you off of that.''

This was Allen Iverson, of all things, elder statesman.

``I never thought the day would come when I'd be the old head on the team,'' he said. ``I've got a guy on the team (18-year-old Louis Williams) who, when I came into the league, was like 8 years old, or something like that.''

And he also said something that, 10 years ago, you thought you'd never hear.

``I'm glad I'm still here,'' Allen Iverson said.