Four years ago, while participating in his first All-Star Weekend, playing in the rookie game, Allen Iverson was perceived to be all that was wrong with the NBA. As the NBA was honoring its 50 greatest stars, Rick Barry complained that Iverson wasn't a team player and Elvin Hayes said he needed to show better respect for the legends.

His biggest critic at the time, the ever-so-blunt Charles Barkley, even gave Iverson a pep talk that weekend to offer some advice. "I don't know if Allen Iverson is going to appreciate what I told him, we'll have to wait and see what he does on the court," Barkley said then. "He's not the greatest, he's just the latest. Did you see those 50 great players out there at halftime? I don't think Allen Iverson is ever going to be as good as those players."

Four years later, Charles Barkley might have to eat those words. Because among the nearly 400 players who make up the NBA today, Allen Iverson is the greatest -- and his winning the MVP award today is validation. There isn't a small player in NBA history who has dominated the game the way Iverson does, so it's no surprise he is the shortest -- and the lightest -- player to win MVP honors.

So what if his body is plastered with tattoos. So what if he wears 'do-rags, sports gaudy jewelry and records vile songs that make the NBA cringe. Allen Iverson is not in the boardrooms, representing Fortune 500 companies, so his presentation doesn't matter.

Iverson is a basketball player and he has developed into someone who is a complete joy to watch. He goes all-out on the offensive end of the court, a constant fast-paced dance through a maze of screens and elbows and knees that opponents throw at him nightly. And still he's usually good for about 30 a night.

It's the same way on defense. A lot of offensive stars use that time to catch a break. Not Iverson -- he's playing up in on the guy he's defending, filling the passing lanes and diving for loose balls. He does this for nearly the full 48 minutes, never asking out of games. His focus is not on individual achievements, not on outdueling his opponent, not on providing a sideshow of style -- and no substance -- for the fans. Allen Iverson is about winning.

Who would have thought we'd be saying this about Iverson now, less than a year after he was nearly traded to the Clippers? Iverson a year ago didn't get along with his coach, didn't provide the positive leadership his team needed, didn't appear to be capable of leading a team to a NBA championship.

Iverson, today, is one of the select players you'd pay money to see perform. Did you hear him say what an honor it was to be on the court the night Vince Carter scored 50 in a blowout win over the Sixers? Did you hear him say he and his teammates should take the blame for the loss, and not coach Larry Brown? Those are indications Iverson now respects the game, respects his opponents, respects authority -- all things that we couldn't have said about him when he entered the league.

No, Allen Iverson is no longer among the latest -- today he is, indeed, one of the NBA's greatest. Twenty years from now, maybe the NBA might have a re-vote on those 50 greatest players in NBA history. And you better watch out, Charles, Elvin and Rick. Iverson might be hot for your spot.

Jerry Bembry is covering the NBA playoffs for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at jerry.bembry@espnmag.com.