"Letting others know publicly makes all the difference" - Yankees legend applauds NBA royalty Allen Iverson's sobriety milestone

Spending 14 seasons in the NBA, Allen Iverson enjoyed a hugely successful career, establishing himself of the finest shooting guards of all time. In his time at the top level, Iverson earned himself an NBA MVP award, eleven NBA All-Star selections, three All-NBA first team selections, and a whole host of other notable honors. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.

Though he was a huge role model to many for the success he enjoyed on the court, Iverson did have his vices. In the late stages of his career, there were reports of Iverson's struggles with alcohol, and that addiction only got worse after he retired in 2013.

Earlier this year, however, Allen Iverson decided enough was enough, and embarked on a journey of sobriety. On Tuesday, he announced he was six months clean, claiming deciding to put down the bottle once and for all was "one of the best decisions" he ever made in his life.

Popular sports content page "Bleacher Report" took to X to post about Iverson's achievement.

"Allen Iverson announces he's been sober for 6 months 🙏" the post read

Bleacher Report

@BleacherReport

Allen Iverson announces he's been sober for 6 months 🙏

Reacting to the news, legendary New York Yankees legend CC Sabathia commended Iverson for having the confidence to talk about such issues publicly, which could in turn help other individuals that are struggling with similar addictions.

"Removing the stigma, acknowledging it yourself, and letting others know publicly makes all the difference 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾" Sabathia posted

CC Sabathia

@CC_Sabathia

Removing the stigma, acknowledging it yourself, and letting others know publicly makes all the difference 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

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Just like Allen Iverson, CC Sabathia also celebrated a major sobriety milestone earlier this month

Just like Allen Iverson, CC Sabathia has also struggled with alcohol in the past. On Monday, he took to X to announce he had successfully reached the milestone of 10 years sober.

"10 YEARS SOBER 🙏🏾 I would’ve never imagined being here today after hitting rock bottom checking into rehab the night before the 2015 postseason. Early in my career, alcohol was a coping mechanism after losing my dad and navigating life’s ups and downs."

"Having the courage to tell somebody about my addiction changed my life. My thoughts go out to anyone facing their own journey. Just know you’re not alone and asking for help makes all the difference. Thank you to everyone who supported me along the way." Sabathia posted

CC Sabathia

@CC_Sabathia

10 YEARS SOBER 🙏🏾 I would’ve never imagined being here today after hitting rock bottom checking into rehab the night before the 2015 postseason. Early in my career, alcohol was a coping mechanism after losing my dad and navigating life’s ups and downs. Having the courage to tell somebody about my addiction changed my life. My thoughts go out to anyone facing their own journey. Just know you’re not alone and asking for help makes all the difference. Thank you to everyone who supported me along the way.

Unlike Allen Iverson, however, CC Sabathia's alchohol addiction became a problem during the prime years of his playing career. Such was the severity of the issue, that he had to take some time off during the 2015 season to check into a rehabilitation center.

Eventually, he was able to kick the habit for good and enjoy a few more successful seasons in the big leagues, before hanging up his cleats in 2019. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2025.