Iverson gave Sixers 'shot in the arm'

by Rich Hofmann

Published Mar. 2, 2010, 5:26 p.m. ET

Allen Iverson's departure was an obvious topic of discussion today at Sixers practice, as was the harsh comments from coach Eddie Jordan after Monday's loss to Orlando.

Here are what several players had to say about Iverson:

Elton Brand: "I think it's better for the team to know that he won't be back, just so that guys will know their roles and won't be looking over their shoulders saying, hey, one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA's history is coming back and my minutes will be down. It's good for the young guys that are playing to know."

"He brought a lot of energy. He gave us a shot in the arm."

Lou Williams: "We're torn because obviously we wanted him to be part of our team. We brought him back and actually, when things got rough, he was the guy that kind of kept everybody together, kept the locker room loose and kept our spirit high. But at the same time, family comes first and he has to take care of home."

"He was always the one cracking jokes and keeping guys loose. At a point in the season like this, it's easy to get stressed out and (for) the locker room to be a place you don't really want to be, but he was great with that. He was great in the locker room with Jrue and myself."

Andre Igoudala: "I think he helped the guys out a lot, just being at ease. Not just from a basketball standpoint, but going through rough times. It can be really frustrating, losing a lot of games. It can be miserable during the season but he did a good job of bringing his personality to us, as far as even on the plane or the bus, guys just having a chance to laugh. It's not all negative. He brought a positive side. Guys enjoyed being around him."