They say love is lovelier the second time around, but Allen Iverson and Tawanna Turner’s story has stretched far beyond that.
Iverson and Turner have had an on-and-off relationship for the last 35 years, which ultimately ended in divorce in 2013. But judging by how Iverson spoke during his recent appearance on “The Stephen A. Smith Show,” they are back together.
“She had to be extremely strong then,”said Iverson. “But I’m around a lot more now. “
“Steve, I’m 50 years old,” he continued. “A lot of the things that I did then, I mean, I couldn’t… I’ll give you an example. Six months ago, I stopped drinking, and it was the best feeling in the world. When I used to be a part of a party, I was the life of the party. She dealt with that for 35 years. And for her to be that strong, and the love for me, Steve, to put up with that, and everything outside of just that, turning into somebody that you’re not, being a person that she could not recognize, it was a lot, man.”
Iverson’s lifestyle in the NBA
Allen and Tawanna’s love story began in high school. They ended up getting married on August 3, 2001, at The Mansion on Main Street in Voorhees, New Jersey. However, their marriage was far from smooth sailing.
Keeping his inner circle close, Iverson became deeply immersed in the fast-paced, indulgent lifestyle that often accompanied fame. He gained a reputation as a relentless partygoer and an excessive drinker, which ultimately took a toll — not only on his NBA career but also on his marriage.
Eight years after their wedding, Tawanna filed for divorce, which was officially finalized in 2013.
However, although they are no longer bound by marriage, true love is still there. On Iverson’s 50th birthday last June, he shared a sweet and romantic dance with Tawanna, and the pair looked very happy together.
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Iverson stopped drinking
Smith asked the NBA legend whether getting back together with Tawanna was the reason behind his decision to quit drinking for the past six months. Iverson said that wasn’t his motivation, but he acknowledged that since giving up alcohol, his personal life has improved significantly.
“I started to evaluate my maturation level,” Iverson explained. “Where I should be at 50 years old, being the how, you know, for me, I know I’m the smartest man in the world because I know that I’m not. But I feel like a lot of decisions that I made, things should be different from than they are.”
“I’m not saying I’m not satisfied, and I’m not happy and content. Well, I’m not content with where I’m at; I think a lot of things will be better. A lot of personal things will be better if I took that out of my life,” he added.
As great as Iverson was on the basketball court, he suffered a lot away from it, mostly due to his lifestyle. But now that he’s much older and wiser, he knows what he needs for the rest of his life to be happy. And that’s something every NBA fan wants for the legendary Sixers guard.
Related: “I owe you the world” – Stephen A. Smith tells Allen Iverson he would have never made it big without him
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 8, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.