Well, it looks to be official that Allen Iverson will be headed to Turkey in order to compete with Besiktas in the TBL. I am very familiar with the league and that team as I spent a season and a half playing for Banvit, another great club in Turkey. We actually lost in the first round of the playoffs to Besiktas during my first season there.

A friend of mine, Gordie Jones, asked me some questions about the possibility of Iverson heading to Besiktas. This post by him over at phillysportsdaily.com contains many of my responses.

His signing and the many responses I have heard to his signing may lead to some reflections of my own on the vast difference between the NBA and European basketball.  But for now, I would just say that in my own experience, the vast majority of Americans underestimate how difficult it is to compete well over here.  So although I am hopeful for Iverson’s sake that he does well, I don’t think it is going to be easy, especially with the big expectations that will accompany him on his way to Istanbul.  Interestingly enough, the expectations people will have of him there may be heavier than anything he has experienced thus far.  For real.  Yes, I know he has made upwards of 20 million and performed at MVP level, but the entire mindset is different here and usually very difficult to get used to.  Again, I hope he does well.  Only time will tell.