Elizabeth Sanders LaFleur

elafleur@greenvillenews.com

MAULDIN — Former NBA star Allen Iverson surprised dozens of kids and their parents by showing up at Trevor Booker's basketball camp on Wednesday.

The newly-christened Hall of Famer came to the camp as a favor to Booker, whom he calls his "little brother." Booker holds the camp every June in Mauldin. He says it's his way to give back, because he remembers the impact camps had on him as a kid.

"I remember meeting Kevin Garnett at a camp," said Booker, who added he was so starstruck that he didn't know what to say. "My mom had to ask for his autograph for me."

The Utah Jazz power forward played four years at Clemson before going pro as a first round selection (23rd overall) by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2010 NBA draft.

Now he gives back to the community that raised him by holding camps like this one in Mauldin and another in his hometown of Union.

Booker often brings friends from around the NBA to surprise kids at the camp.

Iverson is undeniably the biggest star to make the trip.

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The former rookie of the year, whose nickname is "The Answer" wasn't expecting to face questions in front of dozens of adults and several members of the media, but he embraced the opportunity to give 105 campers something he never had as a kid.

"I never had the guy that I looked up to to show up somewhere for me, to make me happy," Iverson said. "The only time I was ever in awe, was the first time I got on the court with Michael Jordan."

He says not having a chance to meet his heroes as a kid is what makes him excited to give kids that opportunity now.

The campers opened the question and answer session by singing "Happy Birthday" to Iverson, who turned 41 yesterday. They followed with rapid fire questions covering everything from what it feels like to see your own highlights on ESPN, to who he is pulling for in the NBA finals this year.

His answer to the first was "I never noticed. I was just playing the game." The latter received a diplomatic "I'm not picking a team. I'm pulling for those guys who haven't won a championship."

He said he wants them to have the feeling he never had.

Iverson spent most of his career with the Philadelphia 76ers. The closest that team came to a title was a 2001 Eastern Conference Championship. Iverson was the league MVP that year.

He's considered one of the best shooting guards in league history. One curious camper wanted to know if he thinks he could beat Stephen Curry (of the Golden State Warriors). To that, Iverson said "I can't stop Steph Curry because I was never a defensive player, but you know what? He couldn't stop me either."

Iverson made a point to emphasize the importance of practice, referencing his now infamous rant in which he said the word practice 22 times.

He told the kids that someday when they're older they'll understand what he was going through at the time. It's been widely reported that the rant stemmed from his struggles to deal with the tragic loss of his best friend just a few months earlier.

"I would've never been in the hall of fame without practice," he said. "I would've never led the league in scoring, been MVP, none of that without practice."

Iverson stuck around after the questions to sign hats, shirts and other items for the campers. He said this was first time to the area his "little brother" calls home, but it won't be his last.