Allen Iverson Appears At Louisville Sneaker Ball To Help Raise Funds For Boys and Girls Clubs

Former NBA player Allen Iverson was the guest speaker at a fundraiser for a Louisville-based Boys and Girls Club.

According to WLKY, the ex-Philadelphia 76ers guard attended the third annual Sneaker Ball at the Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center in Louisville, Ky. The funds from the event will support four traditional Boys and Girls Clubs in West Louisville and two new school-based ones located at Breckinridge-Franklin and Engelhard Elementary.

The Justin Thomas Foundation announced that it would invest $1.6 million in the first mobile Boys and Girls Club in Kentucky. The gala also raised $200,000 for the Boys and Girls Club.

“The Justin Thomas Mobile Learning Unit will allow for access to academic success, workforce development, and mentorship for the entire Kentuckiana area!” said the Boys and Girls Clubs of Kentuckiana.

Iverson spoke to the crowd and told them about his personal experience dealing with the Boys and Girls Club while growing up in Virginia.

“Where I grew up in the rough area that I grew up in, from the time that I got out of school, you know, to the time you, you know, go outside and play and and get back into the house, so many things can happen, so many temptations,” said Iverson. “And the Boys and Girls Club was an outlet for me. You know what I mean? For that time for me to do something positive.”

With an upcoming documentary on the life of Iverson being done by NBA Hall of Famer and businessman Shaquille O’Neal and current NBA player Golden State Warrior Stephen Curry, there is a chance that part of what he spoke about to the crowd will be featured in the film, which will debut on Prime Video. Through their respective production companies, Jersey Legends and Unanimous Media are producing the project that will tell the story of “The Answer” from his beginnings in Hampton, Virginia, through his rise to the NBA, where he revolutionized the culture of the league.