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for his stature, almost always can he beat his defender off the dribble. Another trick from the Magic Johnson play-book.

His game may not be as polished as other superstars in the league, in that James is not much of a long range threat, but he makes up for it with a killer instinct and will to win, which is contagious to his teammates and inspires them to gut it out to the next level.

What do you get when you mix a former Georgetown University standout with the 1996 NBA Rookie of the Year?

The answer? (See below)

2. Allen Iverson: He's not much to look at, at 6 feet and 165lbs (soaking wet), but the man has been known to light up the score board. For his career, Iverson has averaged 27 ppg, which is one of the chief reasons why he has been called "One of the greatest small men to ever play the game." When you take into the account that for the first 10 years of his career, team wise he was in Eastern Conference obscurity, hands down, you have to say that as the leader of the Sixers, he belongs in a class of his own.

Known for putting his body on the line whenever the occasion called, Iverson, therefore, has more than earned the reputation as a daredevil. He has the ability to beat any defender off the dribble. Being so small and lithe it is a nightmare for an opponent trying to keep this man out of the paint. Known for his "cross-over" dribble, which was actually an improved version of Tim Hardaway's original cross-over, Iverson has arguably the quickest hands in the NBA. So lethal, in fact, the NBA officials had to review the move because they were quite certain there was no way he was not "carrying" the ball, as he executed the move.

Iverson is probably the best player in finagling his way to the free-throw line. Yes, there have been games where he has dropped the "double-nickle" (55 pts) partially due to his ability to get to the foul-line. But, Iverson has a way of evading defenders, bringing an added feeling of sensation to the game and making sure the crowd goes home happy. His mid-range jumpshot is lethal. So is his drives to the basket which are always high-percentage shots for him. High-percentage, because Iverson adds artistry to his dives to the basket. Switching hands with the basket or tossing the ball over a defenders head, he is a true magician with the basketball.

He will need to put in 500 to 1,000 jump-shots a day at the local gym to improve his long-range game, but in time he will become a consistent scorer from 3 land as well.

KB 24. The Black

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