National Basketball Association

Michael Jordan welcomes Allen Iverson to Hall of Fame with a hug

Published Apr. 5, 2016 10:05 a.m. ET

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On Monday, Allen Iverson's Hall-of-Fame status was confirmed with the announcement that he'll be inducted alongside Shaquille O'Neal, Tom Izzo, Yao Ming and a cast of other great characters as a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame's Class of 2016. It's the holiest of honors any basketball person can experience, and, in Iverson's case, it's more than deserved.

But last night the point guard had himself another incredible moment when Michael Jordan stepped on his bus to slap him on the behind and offer a personal congratulations:

This is so great. In a way, Iverson took Jordan's torch when the greatest player who ever lived retired. Both were tough, relentless, brave and unwilling to alter their game or core personality in any way. They both also took a bunch of shots and scored a ton of points.

Head-to-head, Jordan won seven of their 13 on-court meetings—six when he was still on the Chicago Bulls.

But Iverson's Philadelphia 76ers beat up on Jordan's Wizards later on, and the little guy wound up averaging more points, assists and free-throw attempts per game, per Basketball-Reference. But those numbers melt away when you're watching moments like this: two icons embracing with a genuine smile.

It's a beautiful thing.