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Teary Iverson expects emotional day at Hall

If Friday was any indication, Allen Iverson is going to be one teary-eyed Hall of Famer when he is inducted Sept. 9 in Springfield, Mass.

Philadelphia 76ers' Allen Iverson reacts to a question during a news conference before an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Friday, April 8, 2016, in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia 76ers' Allen Iverson reacts to a question during a news conference before an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Friday, April 8, 2016, in Philadelphia.Read moreMICHAEL PEREZ / Associated Press

If Friday was any indication, Allen Iverson is going to be one teary-eyed Hall of Famer when he is inducted Sept. 9 in Springfield, Mass.

Merely talking about being elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame brought the 76ers legend to tears Friday during a news conference at the Wells Fargo Center.

"I'm up here getting emotional with you guys from this," Iverson said. "So imagine what it's going to be when that day comes. All I want is the people that love and care about Allen Iverson to feel good about that day. And the ones that don't love him, I want my family and my friends and my fans to say, 'Ha, ha.' "

The Sixers played a video tribute of Iverson before introducing him before the start of the game. He walked onto the court and cupped his left ear while walking toward the Sixers bench. Then he blew a kiss and waved to the fans before presenting the referee with a ball.

Before leaving the court, he hugged Sixers coach Brett Brown and former teammate Elton Brand and shook hands with several other Sixers.

"It brings back a lot of memories," Iverson said of being the arena. "It gives me chill bumps. This is me. This is my environment. This place made me a household name. This is the place that little kids fell in love with me. So I love it."

Iverson was the NBA's MVP in 2001, an 11-time all-star and three-time first-team all-league selection. He played with the Sixers from 1996 to 2006 and during the 2009-10 season. Iverson also had stints with the Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, and Memphis Grizzlies during his NBA career. He briefly played for Besiktas Milangaz of the Turkish Basketball League in 2010-11.

During his 14 NBA seasons, Iverson averaged 26.7 points and 6.2 assists per game. He led the league in scoring four times.

"The ride definitely wasn't perfect," Iverson said. "I made a whole bunch of mistakes just like people make. But people look at us like we are not human and don't understand that we bleed just like them and we have feelings just like everybody. So it's like I want so much for the people that stuck with me the whole time. I want them to feel good about it. I want them to feel like they are Hall of Famers."

He said one of his favorite memories as a Sixer was cupping his hand behind his ear to the fans opposite the Sixers bench. He did during timeouts following big plays.

"I knew that was one of the great moments for me," Iverson said. "The people on the other side off the court sent chills up my spine and my body. Because I knew they felt like I was feeling. They were excited like I was."

Noel faces lawsuit

Nerlens Noel is being sued by a former landlord who says the 76ers center damaged the 4,800-square-foot home he rented in a Philadelphia suburb, according to TMZ, which obtained a copy of the lawsuit. He lived there from September 2014 to August 2015. The owner is seeking more than $75,000 in damages.

"I cannot comment while this lawsuit is pending," Noel said. "I will only say the facts will speak for themselves."