Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee has named former NBA superstar Allen Iverson as one of his sporting idols, having become interested in basketball as a teenager.

Iverson was the first overall pick of the 1996 NBA draft and Zirkzee’s choice may come as strange given that the Philadelphia 76ers point guard enjoyed his greatest career achievement – becoming NBA MVP – exactly one week before the United footballer was born. But, by his own admission, Zirkzee became particularly aware of Iverson by watching a documentary about his career.

Zirkzee didn’t specify which documentary it was, as there have been more than one over the years, but IVERSON was released in 2014 and was #3’s story in his own words.

“I started watching basketball when I was around 15, 16 maybe, and it started because of, you know, Michael Jordan and the big ones,” Zirkzee told United’s official magazine.

“But the main reason why I really got into watching actual basketball and really got my interest was a documentary about Allen Iverson, and he was the first player that I really saw.

“I was like: ‘Oh, he’s really different’, you know? He’s probably the reason I got into basketball. America is a lot different. It’s just certain stuff that you can relate to. That really inspired me. Also him making it and still being himself. That was cool to see.”

Basketball has shaped Zirkzee’s life in other ways, choosing to call his dog Kobe after the late LA Lakers icon Kobe Bryant, because it’s a “cool name”.

Although the NBA is popular across the world, the league has seen very few Dutch players over the years – only five, compared with other more prolific European countries. All were centres and Rik Smits, who had 12 years with the Indiana Pacers from 1988 until 2000, is the most high profile.

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