Former 76ers GM says Allen Iverson could 'easily' score nearly 40 points per game in today's NBA

• Former 76ers GM Billy King said Allen Iverson would score nearly 40 points per game today.
• King cited defensive rule changes and increased free throws for why Iverson would score more.
• Many in the NBA believe former players would score more today because of rule and style changes.

Allen Iverson led the NBA in scoring four times and is 25th all-time in points scored, but he might have put up even more impressive numbers if he played today.

Former Philadelphia 76ers GM Billy King said on the "Audacy NBA Show" that he believes Iverson could "easily" score close to 40 points per game if he played today.

"With these rules, he would have been easily close to 40 points, because he would have gotten to the foul line even more," King said, adding: "Allen, for sure, would have easily averaged close to 40 points."

In the NBA today, defenders aren't allowed to "hand check," or place their forearms on offensive players to control their movement and deny penetration. The rule was instituted for the 2003-04 season, so Iverson did play several seasons in a more offense-friendly league, but not for his entire career.

From 1996-2006, Iverson averaged 27.6 points per game on 42% shooting, 30.9% from three. He also averaged nine free throw attempts per game and shot 79% from the free throw line.

According to King, a former referee once told him that Iverson and Shaquille O'Neal were the two hardest players to officiate.

"I remember talking to Ronnie Nunn, former NBA official and then he went to the league office. He said Allen and Shaquille O'Neal were the two toughest players to referee, because they initiate so much contact, you don't know if they're getting fouled or they're initiating the contact."

King added: "[Iverson] was one of the top free throw shooters in the league, so that means he wasn't taking a lot of jumpers. He was going and attacking every time."

Offensive players now have more freedom in the NBA and the rules protect them more. The show's host, Ryan McDonough, the former GM of the Phoenix Suns, said, "Now, as you know, Billy, if you breathe on a perimeter player, it's a foul."

These rules have commonly been cited as a reason why so many players put up massive scoring numbers in recent years. The proliferation of the three-pointer and decrease in less efficient midrange shots, deep twos, and post-ups have also helped.

All of these factors have led many in the NBA world to believe that players like Iverson - and Michael Jordan, who King also named - would thrive in today's era.