A.I. Has All-Star Appeal, But All-Star Ability?

It was early Friday afternoon at the Sheraton Downtown, and the national media was waiting for the NBA's Eastern Conference All-Stars.

The Western All-Stars were just wrapping up. Kobe Bryant of the Lakers -- the league's biggest star not named LeBron -- and Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire -- the hottest commodity on the market less than a week before the trade deadline -- had drawn the largest crowds around their small tables spread out through the ballroom.


That's when Pistons guard Allen Iverson, voted by fans to start in tonight's 58th All-Star Game, made his entrance.

Wearing a cap with the initials "A.I.," he plopped down in his seat and began fielding questions on topics ranging from Alex Rodriguez to whether Iverson had done enough to ascend to the pearly gates when he died.

At first there were maybe three or four reporters. By the end of the nearly 1-hour interview session, the crowd around Iverson's table had grown to eclipse all the others except LeBron James, Bryant and Stoudemire.

That's despite a career-low 18.2 scoring average, and near career lows of 42.1% shooting, 5.1 assists and 1.6 steals.

That's despite his team -- after six straight trips to the Eastern Conference finals -- hovering around .500.

That's despite the criticism his All-Star selection received from national analysts.

Because when it comes to Iverson, there is only one answer: No matter what he does on the court or how his teams fare, the 13-year veteran with the ubiquitous initials and nickname always has star power.

His four scoring titles, his 10 All-Star starts, his two MVP awards in those games and his 2001 regular-season MVP season -- when he carried Philadelphia to the NBA Finals -- have helped create one of the league's icons. His jersey annually ranks among the league's best-sellers.

"My fans know who I am," Iverson said. "My fans watch me play. They understand what's going on."

But his status hasn't helped the Pistons, 27-24 overall and 23-23 with him in the lineup since the trade with Denver for popular point guard Chauncey Billups. (Billups will be a reserve for the West tonight.) At the All-Star break, it's fair to ask whether Pistons president Joe Dumars acquired a superstar who is valuable only because his $22-million contract expires this summer, freeing the team to chase much-needed youth in the frontcourt.

Can Iverson prove the doubters wrong? Can he turn back the clock -- one he doesn't acknowledge, even at 33 -- to help the Pistons save their season?

And there's a more immediate question: Might tonight's All-Star Game be the final one of a career bound for the Hall of Fame?

Whispers abound.

From the streets of Hampton, Va., with a quick stop at Georgetown, Iverson has scored more than 23,000 points -- 16th on the NBA's all-time list, just ahead of Charles Barkley -- with amazing dribbling ability, quickness and an uncanny knack for getting into the paint to draw fouls. His 27.2-point scoring average ranks fourth, behind Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor.

He compensates for an erratic jump shot with a toughness that allows a 6-foot, 180-pound man to attack the basket and get smacked by men more than 100 pounds heavier and a foot taller.

But Iverson is showing signs of wear (if you're a fan) or age (if you're a critic). One NBA scout, who requested anonymity because it's against the code to criticize players publicly, said of Iverson: "His first step is not quite as explosive."

Also, if you watch many Pistons games -- and the scout agreed -- you know Iverson misses lay-ups.

These aren't the lay-ups when you're out in the driveway messing around. In the NBA, more often than not, there is contact in the lane when you try to make a shot. Iverson used to finish through the contact or explode to the basket so fast the only thing a defender could do was foul him.

These days, defenders also can keep him out of the paint a little easier than before.

That's a tell-tale sign that his legs, the base for finishing around the basket, aren't what they were.

Iverson disagrees with that assessment.

"I don't see too much of a difference," he said. "Everything in my career has been the same until this year.

"As far as my production on the court, this is the lowest it's been. The only way I can answer that this season is being in a different system and a system I'm not totally used to as far as me being dominant on the offensive end."

Is it the system?

While Iverson might not be as explosive as he once was, he is still plenty quick. He is still a No. 1 scoring option.

He openly has questioned his role in the Pistons' system, which is predicated on getting everyone involved and not counting on a primary scorer.

Iverson hasn't been a selfish teammate. He realizes the Pistons are the most talented team he has played for.

But he said the whispers didn't start until this season.

"These questions didn't come up until right now because of what I'm doing as far as statistics-wise," Iverson said. "When you look at it last year and the year before, I've been in the top three in scoring basically every year of my career."

But he realizes the bull's-eye is squarely on his back. Many fans and analysts insist everything was fine and dandy in the D until Iverson showed up.

"If the ball is in my hands or not, it's going to go on me and it's going to go on Joe for making the trade," Iverson said.

There's one guy who agrees with Iverson:

"A.I. is great player, and he still can average 30 points if he wanted to," Billups said. "But that's not what that system calls for, so it's really not fair to him.

"It's not about what he does. I feel bad for him because it's not fair."

Pistons coach Michael Curry admits he has watched old tapes of Iverson in an effort to figure out ways to better utilize his talents. But Detroit's version of A.I. remain a work in progress.

At first, the games of Iverson and Richard Hamilton clearly clashed. Lately, there are signs that Hamilton, recently made the team's first scoring option off the bench, and Iverson are starting to understand playing together.

Second-year guard Arron Afflalo, another reserve, has played well with Iverson from the outset; that's understandable because he doesn't need the ball to be effective.

"I'm a second-year guy, and when you have Allen on the court, I'm probably going to be the guy that people are leaving to go help," Afflalo said. "He does a good job of getting in the paint and finding me in some open spots a lot of times."

Even if Dumars lets Thursday's trade deadline pass without a major shake-up, Iverson is still keeping the faith that the Pistons, tied for sixth in the Eastern Conference playoff chase, will be a tough out.

"I understand that we have high expectations," Iverson said. "People expect a lot better things from us, and it hasn't been real positive for us. But when we get into that second season ... that's the only thing that matters."

And if things don't go well then, the whispers are certain to get louder.

BY VINCE ELLIS, FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER