A.I. Back in Philly, Daughter to be Treated at CHOP

Allen Iverson returned to practice Monday after a five game absence and missing the NBA All-Star game to be in Atlanta with his sick child.

“In my heart, I wanted to be there,” he said. “I wanted my daughter and my kids to see me be there. I wanted my wife to have the opportunity to see something like that. I just think the bigger responsibility was to be with my daughter at that time.”

Four-year-old Messiah has been ill for a few weeks now, although doctor's are still unsure about what ails little Messiah.

But alas, the 76ers' guard, who's been with his family since Feb. 2, has a job to do and on Tuesday he will take the court with his team and play four quarters of NBA ball, although Coach Eddie Jordan has not decided if Iverson will start against the Miami Heat.

"I'd be lying if I told you it wasn't tough to leave her and my wife and kids," Iverson said. "But I do have a commitment and an obligation to be with my team and to do my job. But it is rough. I think this is the only thing I do in life where for a couple hours during the game I don't think about nothing but (basketball)."

Although A.I. will not divulge any more information on his daughter's illness, he does confirm that she will soon be treated at CHOP and that she has been feeling better.

“I can tell she’s getting better. Once we got home, she did a lot of running around, but physical things, with her hands and her feet, I can tell something’s wrong,” Iverson said. “She’s energetic and everything.”