Before becoming a basketball MVP for the Philadelphia 76ers, Allen Iverson grew up in a gang neighborhood, one of three children born to a teenage mother. At an early age, Iverson realized that his only way out of the projects was through professional sports. Small size and speed gave him an edge, and after a brief stint in prison, Iverson enjoyed a successful college career that led to his number-one pick status for the 1996 NBA draft. The book begins with an in-the-moment glimpse of a pivotal event, Iverson's first game in the NBA playoffs. The narrative backtracks to childhood before relating highlights of the sports star's college and professional career. The series highlights athletes who are positive role models for children; Iverson, under fire for his gangbanger look, speaks of respect, thanks to God, and the importance of education. Designed for sports fans who know the rules of the game and accompanying jargon, each volume in this "Sports Greats" series provides a page of career statistics, related Internet sites, and contact information for fan letters. The books lack the time lines and page minimums that teachers love to require, but the simple prose, choice quotes, and well-placed photographs are well suited to reluctant or hi-lo readers. The best titles in the series take in the big picture: Rebecca Lobo's biography emphasizes the increasing role of women in sports, and the book on golf revolutionary Tiger Woods addresses racism. Other subjects include NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon, NBA champions Keith Van Horn and Tim Duncan, star shortstop Alex Rodriguez, and quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Kurt Warner. Index. Photos. VOYA CODES: 3Q 4P M J (Readable without serious defects;Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2003, Enslow, 64p. PLB