On February 14, 1993, Iverson and several of his friends were involved in an altercation with several other patrons at a bowling alley in Hampton, Virginia. Allegedly, Iverson’s crowd was raucous and had to be asked to quiet down several times, and eventually, a shouting duel began with another group of youths. Shortly after that, a fight erupted, pitting the white crowd against the black crowd. During the fight, Iverson allegedly struck a woman in the head with a chair. He, and three of his friends, who were also black, were the only people arrested. Iverson, who was 17 at the time, was convicted as an adult of the felony charge of maiming by mob, a rarely used Virginia statute that was designed to combat lynching. Many people around the Virginian area believed the incident to be a product of racial prejudice. The brawl was with a group of white Poquoson High School students. Also, a videotape surfaced of the incident that shows Iverson leaving shortly after the fighting began. Iverson said of the incident:

They waited eight months to try Iverson as an adult, and the lead detective lied on the stand about telling Iverson “to take pictures” when he went down to the courthouse. The court initially said that Iverson maimed three people which is usually a 60-year sentence. Iverson drew a 15-year prison sentence, with 10 years suspended. After Iverson spent four months at Newport News City Farm, a correctional facility in Newport News, he was granted clemency by Virginia Governor Douglas Wilder, and the Virginia Court of Appeals eventually overturned the conviction in 1995 for insufficient evidence. This incident and its impact on the community is explored in the documentary film No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson.

Iverson was a member of the USA World University Games Team in Japan in 1995, that included future NBA stars Ray Allen and Tim Duncan, among others. Iverson led all USA players in scoring, assists, and steals, averaging 16.7 points, 6.1 assists, and 2.9 steals per game. He helped lead the team to an undefeated record en route to a 141-81 victory over the host country, Japan, for the gold medal.

After two seasons at Georgetown, Iverson was selected with the 1st overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft to the Philadelphia 76ers. Listed at 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) tall, he became the shortest first overall pick ever, in a league normally dominated by taller players.

Iverson came to a Philadelphia team that had just finished the previous season with a dismal 18-64 record. In his NBA debut, Iverson recorded 30 points and 6 assists on a 103-111 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. He tied Willie Anderson for the third highest scoring output by a rookie guard in his debut. On November 12, 1996, Iverson recorded a then career-high of 35 points to go along with 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals on a 101-97 road win over the Knicks. In a game against the 55-8 Chicago Bulls, Iverson scored 37 points and memorably crossed over Michael Jordan. He broke Wilt Chamberlain’s rookie record of three straight games with at least 40 points, doing so in five straight games, including a 50-point effort in Cleveland against the Cavaliers. Averaging 23.5 points per game, 7.5 assists per game and 2.1 steals per game for the season, Iverson was named the NBA Rookie of the Year. Iverson was only able to help the Sixers to a 22–60 record in 1996–97.

During the 1997 offseason, Iverson and his friends were stopped by a police officer for speeding late at night. He was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon and for possession of marijuana. He pleaded no contest and was sentenced to community service.

That season, Iverson was selected to the Eastern Conference All-Star team for the first time of what would be 11 straight selections. He was the only player other than Shaquille O’Neal to receive an MVP vote that year. In the 2000 off-season, the 76ers actively tried to trade Iverson after his numerous disagreements with then-coach Larry Brown, and had agreed to terms with the Detroit Pistons before Matt Geiger, who was included in the deal, refused to forfeit his $5 million trade kicker.

During the 2000 offseason, Iverson recorded a rap single called “40 Bars”. However, after being criticized for its controversial lyrics, he eventually was unable to release it. Going under his moniker, Jewelz, the album was alleged to have made derogatory remarks about homosexuals. After criticism from activist groups and NBA Commissioner David Stern, he agreed to change the lyrics, but ultimately never released the album.

Despite O’Brien helping the team back into the postseason, disagreements with players and management led to his firing after just one season. He was replaced by Sixers’ legend Maurice Cheeks, in a personnel move Iverson praised, as Cheeks had been an assistant coach with the team when they reached the NBA Finals in 2001. During the 2005–2006 season, Iverson averaged a career-high 33.0 points per game. The Sixers, however, missed the playoffs for the second time in three years.

In 2002, Iverson was alleged to have thrown wife Tawanna out of their home after a domestic dispute and later threatening two men with a gun while looking for her. All charges against him were later dropped after the judge cited lack of evidence with contradictory statements from witnesses.

Head Coach Larry Brown left the 76ers in 2003, following the playoff loss. After his departure from the 76ers, both he and Iverson indicated that the two were on good terms and genuinely fond of one another. Iverson later reunited with Brown when Iverson became the co-captain of the 2004 United States Olympic men’s basketball team. In 2005, Iverson said that Brown was without a doubt “the best coach in the world”.

He finished the tournament ranked overall tied for 10th in scoring, tied for fourth in steals, fifth in 3-point percentage, tied for seventh in assists, and ninth in field goal percentage (.562). Iverson also missed the USA’s final two games because of a sprained right thumb which was suffered in the first half of the August 28 Puerto Rico game. In a game against Puerto Rico, he recorded 9 points on 4-for-6 shooting from the field overall, and added five assists and three rebounds in 26 minutes of action in the USA’s 101–74 exhibition game victory on August 17 in New York. He was also named to the 2003 USA Senior National Team on April 29, 2003.

Iverson was selected to be part of Team USA for the 2003 FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico in August of that year. USA had a perfect 10–0 record, and won the gold medal as well as qualifying for a berth in the 2004 Olympics. Iverson started all eight games that he played in, and was second on the team with 14.3 points per game, while also posting 3.8 assists per game, 2.5 rebounds per game, 1.6 steals per game, and shooting 56.2 percent (41–73 FGs) from the field, 53.6 percent (15–28 3pt FGs) from 3-point and 81.0 percent (17–21 FTs) from the foul line.

On February 24, 2004, Iverson urinated in a trash can at Bally’s Atlantic City casino and was told by casino management not to return.

On February 12, 2005, Iverson scored a career-high 60 points on 24-for-27 shooting from the free throw line to go along with 6 assists and 5 steals in a 112-99 win over the Orlando Magic. On April 8, 2005, Iverson recorded 23 points, 7 rebounds and a career-high 16 assists in a 103-98 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

On December 9, 2005, after the Sixers defeated the Charlotte Bobcats, Iverson paid a late-night visit to the Trump Taj Mahal. After winning a hand at a three-card-stud poker table, Iverson was overpaid $10,000 in chips by a dealer. When the dealer quickly realized the mistake and requested the chips back, Iverson refused, and a heated head-turning argument between him and the casino staff began. Atlantic City casino regulations reportedly state that when a casino makes a payout mistake in favor of the gambler, the gambler must return the money that they did not legitimately win.

Also in 2005, Iverson’s bodyguard Jason Kane was accused of assaulting a man at a Washington, D. C. nightclub after the man, Marlin Godfrey, refused to leave the club’s VIP section so Iverson’s entourage could enter. Godfrey suffered a concussion, a ruptured eardrum, a burst blood vessel in his eye, a torn rotator cuff, cuts and bruises, and emotional distress. Although Iverson did not touch Godfrey himself, Godfrey sued Iverson for the injuries caused by his bodyguard. In 2007 a jury awarded Godfrey $260,000. The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the verdict in 2009.

On April 18, 2006, Iverson and Chris Webber arrived late to the Sixers’ fan appreciation night and home game finale. Players were expected to report 90 minutes before game time, but both Iverson and Webber arrived around tipoff. Coach Maurice Cheeks notified the media that neither would be playing, and general manager Billy King announced that Iverson and Webber would be fined. During the 2006 off-season, trade rumors had Iverson going to Denver, Atlanta, or Boston. None of the deals were completed. Iverson had made it clear that he would like to stay a Sixer.

On December 19, 2006, the Philadelphia 76ers sent Iverson and forward Ivan McFarlin to the Denver Nuggets for Andre Miller, Joe Smith, and two first-round picks in the 2007 NBA draft. At the time of the trade, Iverson was the NBA’s number two leading scorer, with new teammate Carmelo Anthony being number one.

On December 23, 2006, Iverson played his first game for the Nuggets. He had 22 points and 10 assists in a losing effort to the Sacramento Kings. In his first year as a Nugget they made the playoffs. They won the first game and lost the next four to the San Antonio Spurs.

In a December 2009 interview with 60 Minutes, Donaghy said he and fellow referees thought the punishment was too light. Before Iverson’s Nuggets played the Utah Jazz on January 6, 2007, Donaghy said he and the two other officials working the game agreed not to give Iverson favorable calls as a way to “teach him a lesson.” Iverson attempted 12 free throws, more than any other player on either team. On 12 drives to the basket, he drew five fouls, three of which Donaghy whistled himself, and did not receive a call on one play in which Utah’s Mehmet Okur clearly fouled him.

Iverson returned to Philadelphia on March 19, 2008 to a sell-out crowd and received a standing ovation in a 115–113 loss.

On November 3, 2008, Iverson was dealt from the Denver Nuggets to the Detroit Pistons for guard Chauncey Billups, forward Antonio McDyess and center Cheikh Samb. Iverson, who had worn a #3 jersey his entire NBA career, switched to number 1 for the Pistons, which Billups previously wore for the team.

On April 3, 2009, it was announced that Iverson would not play the remainder of the 2008–09 season. Dumars cited Iverson’s ongoing back injury as the reason for his deactivation, although two days prior Iverson stated publicly that he’d rather retire than be moved to the bench as Pistons coach Michael Curry had decided.

On September 10, 2009, Iverson signed a one-year contract with the Memphis Grizzlies. He stated that “God chose Memphis as the place that I will continue my career,” and that “I feel that they are committed to developing a winner.”

However, Iverson again expressed his displeasure at being a bench player, and left the team on November 7, 2009 for “personal reasons.” On November 16, the Grizzlies announced the team terminated his contract by “mutual agreement.” He played three games for the Grizzlies, averaging 12.3 ppg, 1.3 rpg, and 3.7 apg in 22.3 mpg.

On November 25, 2009, analyst Stephen A. Smith published on his blog a statement attributed to Iverson announcing plans for retirement, which also said, “I feel strongly that I can still compete at the highest level.”

On December 7, 2009, Iverson made his return to Philadelphia, garnering a thunderous ovation from the sold-out crowd, in a loss against his former team, the Denver Nuggets. He finished the game with 11 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, a steal, and no turnovers. Iverson’s first win in his return to Philadelphia came one week later, in a 20-point effort against the Golden State Warriors, ending the Sixers’ 12-game losing streak (which stood at 9 games before Iverson returned). He shot 70 percent from the field in the game.

Less than a week later on November 30, Iverson and his representatives met with a Philadelphia 76ers delegation about returning to his former team, and accepted a contract offer two days later. General manager Ed Stefanski declined to go into the terms of the agreement, but an unnamed source told the Associated Press that Iverson agreed to a one-year non-guaranteed contract at the league minimum salary. Iverson would receive a prorated portion of the $1.3 million minimum salary for players with at least 10 years of experience, and the contract would become guaranteed for the remainder of the 2009–10 season if he remained on the roster on January 8, 2010. Stefanski said the team made the decision to pursue Iverson after starting guard Lou Williams suffered a broken jaw and was expected to miss at least 30 games.

On January 3, 2010, he returned to Denver to face the Nuggets; Iverson scored 17 points and had seven assists in the 108-105 win. He was voted as a starter for the All-Star Game for the 11th straight season. He scored a season-high 23 points (on 56% shooting from the field) in a 99-91 loss to Kobe Bryant and the defending champion Lakers.

On February 22, 2010, Iverson left the 76ers indefinitely, citing the need to attend to his 4-year-old daughter Messiah’s health issues, which he revealed years later as Kawasaki Disease. On March 2, Stefanski announced Iverson would not return to the 76ers for the rest of the season to deal with the personal matter. His final NBA game was a loss against Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls on February 20, 2010.

On October 26, 2010, Yahoo! Sports reported that Iverson agreed in principle to a two-year, $4 million net income contract with Beşiktaş, a Turkish Super League team competing in the second-tier level of pan-European professional basketball, the EuroCup (the competition below the EuroLeague level). The club announced the signing at a press conference in New York City, on October 29, 2010. Wearing jersey #4, Iverson made his debut for Beşiktaş on November 16, 2010, in a EuroCup 91-94 loss to Serbian side Hemofarm. Iverson scored 15 points in 23 minutes.

On March 2, 2010, Tawanna Iverson filed for divorce, seeking custody of their children, as well as child support and alimony payments. According to Iverson, the couple were back together less than a month after the divorce was finalized in 2013.

Iverson returned to the United States in January 2011 for calf surgery. He only played ten games for Beşiktaş that season, and did not play professional basketball after that.

In August 2011, an Ohio man sued Iverson for $2.5 million in damages, claiming Iverson’s security guard assaulted him in a 2009 bar fight in Detroit. The federal judge dismissed the case, finding no evidence that Iverson or his bodyguard struck the plaintiff, Guy Walker.

In January 2013, Iverson received an offer to play for the Texas Legends of the NBA D-League, but he declined.

On October 30, 2013, Iverson announced his retirement from basketball, citing he lost his desire to play. At the 76ers 2013–14 season home opener that night, he received a standing ovation at the beginning of the second quarter. The news conference at which he announced his retirement was attended by former Georgetown coach John Thompson and Sixers great Julius Erving. Iverson said he would always be a Sixer “until I die,” and that while he always thought the day he retired would be a “tough” day, he instead stated it was rather a “happy” day.

In November 2013, the 76ers announced that they would officially retire Iverson’s number 3 in a special halftime ceremony on March 1, 2014, when the Sixers hosted the Washington Wizards. The ceremony took place in front of 20,000 spectators and 76ers greats such as Julius Erving, Moses Malone, and former team president Pat Croce. He headlined the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2016 along with Shaquille O’Neal and Yao Ming. Iverson highlighted John Thompson and Larry Brown when speaking to the media on who he credited for a Hall of Fame career.

In 2013, Iverson was accused of kidnapping his children and refusing to return them to their mother. He denied the claim and his ex-wife later recanted.

On May 14, 2015, Iverson appeared on CBS This Morning in support of a Showtime Network documentary on his life, Iverson, during which he addressed long-discussed rumors of financial struggles, denying any notion that he was struggling. “That’s a myth. That’s a rumor… The fact that I’m struggling in any part of my life”, he said.

In 2017, the creation of the 3-on-3 professional basketball league BIG3 was announced, with Iverson set to be a player and coach on 3’s Company. In March, it was announced that Iverson’s co-captain would be DerMarr Johnson. 3’s Company drafted Andre Owens, Mike Sweetney, and Ruben Patterson during the 2017 BIG3 Draft. On June 25, 3’s Company played its first game of the inaugural BIG3 season against the Ball Hogs. In the game, Iverson scored 2 points on 1-for-6 shooting in 9 minutes of play. On only playing 9 minutes, Iverson stated, “I signed up to be a coach, player and captain. Coach part is going to go on throughout the game. Playing part is not going to be what you expect. You’re not going to see the Allen Iverson of old out there.”