"I think I could have been more of a big brother" - Stephen A. Smith issues a heartfelt apology to Hall of Famer and former NBA MVP

Stephen A. Smith recently made an appearance on the "I AM ATHLETE" show. The veteran analyst spoke about his relationship with former Philadelphia 76ers player Allen Iverson.

On the show, he said that Iverson was the one player that mattered the most to him. Smith believes that if he had been a bit more "invasive" toward AI, things would have been different for the 2001 MVP.

"I should have took off my reporter hat years before I actually did and been more invasive. Been more in his face because I was one of the people who could do that to him. And he would actually listen, you know what I'm saying. He knew other than a quote or story, I ain't want nothing from him, you know.

"And he's come a long way, he's so much better now. But so much that he went through in his life. Obviously, I can't say whether I could have helped him. But I think I could have been more of a big brother. I just got so much of love for him."

Iverson was one of the best players in the NBA during the early 2000s. He led a starless 76ers team to the finals, where they lost against the LA Lakers.

Stephen A. Smith shares a story about the one time Allen Iverson got upset with him

BIG3, Week 9.

Stephen A. Smith was a writer with The Philadelphia Inquirer for a long time during which he became familiar with Allen Iverson. Smith shared a story about how Iverson got upset with him about a story he wrote during the guard's stint in Philly.

"I'll never forget one time when he was mad at me. They had some info when he was partying. When he was supposed to be with family or whatever. And I wrote a story about how he needed to not party. I didn't get deep, I just said, 'You can't be partying, you know they watching you.'

"And he was so offended about it and we didn't talk for like two years. And I was hearing he was in Atlanta and people talk about he looking for me and all that stuff. So, I ended up going down there and looking for him, he looking for me."

Stephen A. Smith continued:

"But I'm supposed to be your boy, what you talking about. And I went into all the stuff that I knew that I never said. And how could you have this attitude. And he looked me in the face and said, 'I don't give a damn about the story. It's that your name was on the byline."

Iverson had a close relationship with Stephen A. Smith, but that did not mean he was immune from criticism.