Dear Allen,

Oh boy, where do we start? Pound for pound probably one of the greatest players who ever played the game of basketball. One of the greatest athletes to ever play in our great city of Philadelphia. We soon figured out during your rookie year with the Sixers you were just like us as a city. Blue-collared, passionate, a desire to win and a never give up attitude. Your athleticism was jaw-dropping. You would do a quick crossover and then cross back over again and turn to drop in a 15-foot jumper. It was art on a basketball court. You played every game like it was your last. Every time you fell, you got right back up. We knew you were playing through multiple injuries most nights but you gave it your all for us and still put on a show night in and night out.

We as a city still remember every moment of the 2001 season. A season where you led the 2001 Sixers team and the whole city of Philadelphia on that amazing ride to the NBA Finals. You earned league MVP that year and fought through back-to-back seven game shootouts with Vince Carter and the Toronto Raptors and Ray Allen and the Milwaukee Bucks to get to the NBA Finals. Of course to this day we remember you scoring seven straight points in overtime of game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals versus the Los Angeles Lakers. All eyes were on you that night at the Staples Center as you made a step-back jumper and you stomped over Tyronn Lue. Yes, you guys lost in the NBA Finals but you and that Sixers team had this city buzzing and wanting a NBA Championship that year.

Every night we knew we were in for something great when you had on that Sixers uniform. Every night we wanted to see what you were going to do next. You were the topic in every barber shop, Philadelphia sports radio station and our own homes across the Delaware Valley and had us talking about what you did that night on the court. Whether it be you winning the 2001 All-Star Game MVP and calling out to see where Larry Brown was after the game, you scoring a career high 60 points against the Orlando Magic or seeing you crossover the great Michael Jordan.

Now here we are many years later and you are about to take the last step every basketball player has dreamed of taking. You are about to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame tonight. Yes, your career was long and filled with potholes, bumps and detours but we accepted you as a person and you accepted us as a city. We want to thank you Allen for the many years you played here. We loved having you in Philadelphia and being a member of the Sixers family for so many years and helping out in the Philadelphia community while you played here. You set the standard for every future Philadelphia athlete that will ever play here. You will always be that kid born and raised in Hampton, Virginia but to us you will always be from Philadelphia. The great memories that you gave us will be cherished forever in our city.

Congrats Allen on making it to the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Much Respect,

Philadelphia