Turkey? We Talkin' Bout Turkey?

On Friday, Allen Iverson made it official and signed with Turkish team Besiktas on 2-year/$4 million contract. Iverson, 35, following in the footsteps of Josh Childress and Stephon Marbury, has become the biggest NBA star to take his talents overseas.



Much like Marbury, Iverson's departure from the States comes mostly due to a lack of interest from other clubs. Coupled with Iverson's financial issues, I would have to presume these are the predominant factors in his decision to sign there. Iverson was not invited to any NBA camps this offseason and with his competitive nature and still thinking he has something left in the tank, it became evident that he was going to have to look elsewhere for unemployment. After his unceremonious exit from the 76ers last season, most teams looked at him as not being worth whatever diminishing talent he may have had left.

So Iverson, who as recently as 2009 was still being voted into the All-Star game as a starter takes his declining career and perishing personal life overseas where he, more than likely, will be treated like royalty and the fans will embrace him wholeheartedly. As an Iverson fan since he was drafted to my city 14 years ago, I certainly hope that this is the first step in getting his life back in order and maybe re-capturing some of his magic that he had in Philadelphia.

Check the video above (courtesy of ESPN.com) for Iverson's comments on his new situation. The Answer is Turkey-bound.