The Pittsburgh Pirates made waves in the international free-agent market this week, and amidst the signings, one name stood out—Iverson Allen, a 16-year-old outfielder hailing from Panama. The peculiar twist? His name bears a striking resemblance to the iconic Hall of Fame point guard, Allen Iverson.
Fans couldn’t help but do a double-take when news broke of Allen joining the Pirates. The young outfielder quickly went viral, with enthusiasts noting the uncanny inversion of his name compared to the legendary NBA star. Interestingly, Allen’s father had a basketball background, having played for Panama’s national team, providing a likely explanation for the familiar name.
The Pittsburgh Pirates just signed a 16-year-old center-fielder from Panama named Iverson Allen.
You can't tell me this isn't Allen Iverson in disguise pic.twitter.com/6uYMaj0cai
— Peter Blanchard (@peterlblanchard) January 16, 2024
While Allen’s baseball stats aren’t publicly available, MLB.com lists him as a 6-foot, 160-pound right-handed outfielder. The symmetry with Allen Iverson extends further as the basketball great, a 6-foot, 165-pound powerhouse, spent the first 11 seasons of his NBA career with the Philadelphia 76ers before making stops with the Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, and Memphis Grizzlies.
The Pirates had been actively pursuing Allen for nearly two years, with a report from Pirates Prospects identifying them as the frontrunners back in May 2022. After more than 20 months, Allen officially sealed the deal on Monday.
Marking the first day for teams to ink international free agents, the Pirates are set to unveil their complete signing class on Friday at their Dominican Republic academy, as reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The anticipation builds as the Pirates showcase their commitment to international talent acquisition, making Iverson Allen’s addition a notable highlight in their recent moves.