Iverson gets ‘Framed’

Former 76er Allen Iverson has been profiled by all sorts of people over the years.

Tonight, the guy with the camera and microphone is Nelly, the rapper. The two spent two days in AI's adopted hometown of Atlanta to make a documentary-style film as part of the IFC cable series Framed (10:30 p.m.), in which celebs make short films about athletes. The sponsor is Reebok, who has Iverson's shoe deal.

Director Nelly starts with a clip of the two discussing their competitive sides. In one scene, they're rolling in the back of a limo talking about O.J. Simpson's latest brush with the law. The subject of Nelly's two-minute Iverson film is A.I.'s playing the card game spades, at which he fancies himself a champion.

Nelly had no trouble landing Iverson, who is now with the Denver Nuggets. Because of time constraints, The Inquirer had to make do with an e-mail interview before Denver's game Thursday against the San Antonio Spurs.

Iverson explains that Nelly has been a friend for years. "I have always respected his creativity," Iverson writes. "He always does things his way and I knew he would have a cool vision for the film."

Question: What was the Framed experience like?

Answer: It was cool. We already had a competitive relationship and he wanted to bring that aspect out in the film, so it was very natural. He also hates scripts as much as me, so making it unscripted was good for both of us and made it real. He had to convince me that a short film around playing spades would work and he was right.

Q. Where was your Framed episode shot and why?

A. My episode was shot in Atlanta. We spend a lot of time there in the off-season, and it's one of my favorite cities.

Q. If Sixers fans tune in, what will they see?

A. They will definitely see a different side of Allen Iverson. When I'm with my family and friends, I'm relaxed. I'm an everyday guy. I got to do things I really enjoy like fishing, playing cards, playing football with my kids. My fans will get to see me relaxed doing everyday things. You will also see my competitiveness in other areas outside of basketball. I want to win in everything! Whether it be fishing, cards, whatever. It was all real, man. I wasn't trying to let Nelly win at anything, even though he was the director.