Allen Iverson recently opened up about how he once misread Kobe Bryant’s legendary intensity as personal animosity. During their fierce battles—especially in the 2001 Finals—Iverson thought ...

Never a wink, never a pat on the back. It was a straight war between Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant, two avatars of a basketball era driven by ego, edge and expression.

For Kobe, both legendary shooting guards were a nightmare to go up against. However, it was a no-brainer for Bryant that Jordan was a tougher matchup than Iverson.

In the 1996 NBA Draft, the 76ers had the first pick and chose Allen Iverson. Bryant, whose dad played four seasons in Philadelphia, went 13th to Charlotte.