Allen Iverson on NBA stars resting: 'It's different'

Widely regarded as one of the toughest players ever to play in the NBA, Allen Iverson said he couldn’t see himself resting during the season, a practice that has become commonplace around the league.

"It’s different," Iverson told ESPN ahead of Friday night’s Lakers-76ers broadcast. "I never thought anything like that would happen. A guy like myself loved to compete night in and night out. Tired, hurt, it doesn’t matter. To each his own. If it helps those guys and it helps their team, then so be it."

The response was all the more interesting considering that the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Cleveland Cavaliers Wednesday night and LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love didn’t travel with the team to Memphis. The Cavs’ starting lineup included Channing Frye and DeAndre Liggins.

Iverson, who played in all 82 games just twice throughout his 14-year career, said he would’ve had a problem had a coach come to him and asked him to rest.

"It would have definitely been a big problem. We would’ve definitely had it out, and hopefully I would’ve came  out on top," Iverson said.

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"The Answer" was also asked his opinion of NBA super-teams, which have become all the rage since Iverson left the league in 2010.

"I was always the type of guy that believed in the guys I was playing with," he said. "I felt like we had a fighting chance every night because I believed in them and they believed in me. The same guys went into the foxhole with me night in and night out, and I trusted my teammates. When guys make decisions like that, I don’t have a problem with it because I feel like they feel they’re doing what’s best for them, their family and giving themselves a better chance to win a title."

Finally, as if Iverson wasn't as candid as anyone could've ever hoped for, he said this:

Follow Michael Singer on Twitter @msinger.