Philadelphia-area author Aquil “Ali” Bashir’s Grindstone 4 Life book has drawn rave reviews from NBA Hall of Famer Allen Iverson
Andre Johnson 
As if Aquil “Ali” Bashir’s Grindstone 4 Life hasn’t drawn enough applause in Philadelphia and the surrounding, it seems his debut book is starting to grasp the attention of several of Philly’s most prominent personality. Amongst the notable individuals is former NBA superstar Allen Iverson. During his 14-year career, Iverson appeared in 914 games, averaging 26.7 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.7 rebounds. Just recently, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. (Getty Images Photo)
As if Aquil “Ali” Bashir’s Grindstone 4 Life hasn’t drawn enough accolades in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas, it seems his debut book is starting to grasp the attention of several of Philly’s most prominent personalities.
Amongst the notable individuals is former NBA superstar Allen Iverson.
“(I met the former No. 1 overall) draft pick of the NBA at the popular after-hour go-go club that everybody’s talking about,” Bashir told Making Headline News during a recent interview.
The rest, as they say, was history.
Upon crossing paths with Iverson, the 11-time All-Star and two-time league Most Valuable Player who retired from the NBA after 2009-10 season after having played for four different teams, Bashir surprisingly was blow away by Iverson’s response to a book that is starting to generate a slew of headlines.
“He wasn’t a household name in Philly yet,” Bashir, a native of Philadelphia said when recalling the first time he met Iverson. “The 21-year-old ball player and his entourage arrived in 15 matching rented black Lexus cars, stretching (across the entire block) and then they abruptly stopped and then jumped out the vehicle, walking up to storm posted at the front door.”
From there, upon having met Iverson for the first time, Bashir and the former NBA Rookie of the Year (1996-97) managed to build a solid rapport.
READY TO BUY GRINDSTONE 4 LIFE? http://www.amazon.com/dp/1540728420/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp_t2_coRtybJRD9XXD.
So much, in fact, that Iverson essentially has become a fan of Bashir’s book that depicts the story about Philadelphia’s underground secret world of sex, drugs and murder.
The 238-page Grindstone 4 Life officially became available for purchase on Amazon.com in late December.
CHECK OUT AQUIL BASHIR VIA YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2dIvgkEryo&feature=share.
“It’s a compelling story about the inner-workings of a Go-Go club I use to own in Philadelphia during the 90’s (or during) the Golden Age of Hip-Hop,” Bashir told Making Headline News during a December 12 interview.
MORE ON AQUIL: https://youtu.be/truFqEXmvL0.
To his credit, his tell-all, attention-grabbing, tear-jerking masterpiece of a book has caught the attention of the former NBA star whom many media pundits have deemed the best point guard to ever play the game.
Just recently, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. (Getty Images Photo)
During his 14-year career, Iverson appeared in 914 games, averaging 26.7 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.7 rebounds.
Just recently, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
“He’s in the book,” Bashir said of Allen Iverson. “One thing we have is realism. “It’s not a tell-all (book), but Grindstone 4 Life has a great chapter welcoming Allen Iverson to Philly’s nightly underworld and it’s all true. Allen Iverson is real dude. He’s just like everybody else.”
By and large, it is because of Iverson’s down-to-earth, approachable disposition that Bashir — and those who have followed his near-death story — are spreading the word, thus inspiring others to check out his compelling book.
“He wants to (finishing reading) it first before he’ll makes a comment,” said Bashir, when asked what was Iverson specific assessments about his book. “He’s very approachable, very relaxed…relishing at the packed house still having love for the retired basketball star.”
Not to mention the packed house that, like Iverson, have thoroughly embraced Bashir’s dazzling, attention-grabbing book.
AQUIL’S FACEBOOK PAGE: grindstone4life
AQUIL’S TWITTER PAGE: @twitter@grindstone4ife
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Andre Johnson is founder and publisher of Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University Of Memphis School Of Journalism, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, send an email to memphisgraduate@yahoo.com. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.
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