Former NBA star Allen Iverson said the darkest period of his life came when his marriage ended, not during any on-court setback. Speaking on ESPN’s “First Take” on Oct. 8, 2025 while promoting his new memoir, “Misunderstood,” Iverson told host Stephen A. Smith that his 2013 divorce from Tawanna Turner was “self-inflicted” and forced him to reassess his life.
“That’s when I knew I’d hit my lowest point and it was time for deep self-re-evaluation,” Iverson said, recalling the moment he saw “Iverson vs. Iverson” printed on the divorce papers. The couple married in 2001, separated in 2008 and finalized their divorce in 2013—the same year Iverson officially retired from the NBA.
Iverson joked that winning Turner back required “a lot of Keith Sweat” and persistent pleading. He added that the marital turmoil, combined with the end of his career and unresolved issues from his youth, led him to confront his dependence on alcohol.
“When you evaluate your maturation and what’s important to your family, friends and the world, I didn’t see how alcohol was helping,” he said. “All I could think about was negative experiences.”
The 11-time All-Star also acknowledged his impact on today’s NBA players. “I made a lot of them comfortable in their own skin and able to express themselves,” Iverson said, adding that the league’s future remains bright. “We will never be short of superstars. The game is in great hands.”
Source: ESPN
