Michael Jordan: How Chicago Bulls Icon Inspired Sixers Great Allen Iverson

• Allen Iverson has revealed how Michael Jordan had inspired him when he was young
• The Philadelphia 76ers great says he learned most of his game from the Bulls legend
• The 2001 NBA MVP also inspired a generation of guards in the basketball association

Michael Jordan is certainly one of the best sportsmen in history, and his success on and off the basketball court has inspired many people from all walks of life.

Philadelphia 76ers great Allen Iverson reveals he saw the Chicago Bulls legend as a superhero while growing up. Iverson would come to inspire a generation of NBA players on his own.

Iverson remains an icon for the city of Philadelphia. He never won a championship, but won the hearts and minds of many basketball fans because of his flamboyant but effective style.

His jaw-dropping crossovers and memorable layups put the basketball world on notice. He was named in the NBA's top 75 players of all time and was ranked 40th in the Athletic top 75.

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One of his iconic moments was when he crossed his hero, All-Defense Jordan on March 12, 1997, in what was an unforgettable NBA moment.

Iverson on his superhero Jordan

Speaking to GQ, Iverson recounted how Jordan inspired him when he was young, saying he even cried when the Detroit Pistons used to beat the Chicago Bulls in the late 1980s.

"I learned from Mike. I always looked at him like a superhero. That was my guy. The way he wore his wristband, the bald head. I used to like when he had that bald head with the goatee and the brace around his shin, on his calf. The man was my hero."

The 47-year-old recalls watching those legendary Bulls versus Pistons showdowns.

"I remember crying back when the Pistons used to beat on him. My mom had a TV sitting on a dresser, and I used to sit this close to the TV, know what I mean? 'Back up before you go blind!' That’s how much I loved him. I wanted to be that close to him. He gave me the vision to be a basketball player."

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By the time Iverson retired in 2013, he was an 11-time All-Star, a seven-time All-NBA selection, a four-time scoring champion, a two-time All-Star MVP, and the 2000-01 NBA MVP.

Magic on Jordan, Thomas feud

Sports Brief earlier reported on LA Lakers icon, Magic Johnson urging Jordan and Isiah Thomas -the respective Bulls and Pistons greats - to end their iconic feud.

The two NBA legends have not seen eye to eye for close to four decades, and Johnson feels they should let the past be the past.

"I'm definitely gonna try man, because they should be past it. They're my boys. So, I guess I'm gonna have to be the one to bring them together," he said about mediating between the greats.