Allen Iverson's Twitter Response to Latest Allegations

It's not a good time to be Allen Iverson. His wife has filed for divorce, his daughter is said to be seriously ill, his NBA career has been in a free fall for two years, and -- according to the latest rumors from Stephen A. Smith over the weekend -- he's battling severe drinking and gambling issues, to boot.

On Monday night, Iverson finally broke his silence, releasing his first statement about the latest round of rumors without specifically addressing any of the details. His medium of choice? Twitter, of course. Over the course of four tweets, Iverson "said:"

To my fans: You all know that my life isn't perfect. I am going through some very tough times right now, like I am sure that we all do from time to time. However, I will stand tall like always with "rhino" thick skin. Even though I have become used to hearing people say things about me that aren't true, it still hurts. I encourage you to continue your ongoing support and I want you to trust that this is another obstacle in my life that, with God's help I will overcome. God Bless You All.

Given the severity of the the latest rumors -- Smith was startlingly blunt with his assertion that "Iverson will either drink himself into oblivion or gamble his life away" -- Iverson will certainly be forced to offer a more thorough denial if he's ever going to seek another NBA job.

But for now, Iverson, who endeared himself to millions by retaining an authentic voice in a universe of carefully marketed NBA stars, has chosen to leave us with a measured 96-word statement almost certainly crafted by a P.R. firm.

It's disappointing, to say the least, but at least it's something.

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