PHILADELPHIA -- Basketball star Allen Iverson was nearby when a friend was shot outside a nightclub early Monday, police said.

Larry Robinson, 46, of Smithfield, Va., drove himself to a hospital in Iverson's car after he was shot in the leg about 2:30 a.m. outside the Glam nightclub in the Old City section of Philadelphia, police said.

At the time, Iverson was on a sidewalk "in the vicinity of that nightclub,'' police spokesman Cpl. Jim Pauley said.

"Iverson came to the hospital to visit him a short period after the shooting occurred,'' Pauley said.

Police interviewed Iverson, who was excused from Monday's practice by Philadelphia 76ers coach Larry Brown. The team wasn't certain if Iverson would make the trip to Chicago for Tuesday night's game against the Bulls.

It wasn't immediately clear whether Iverson witnessed the shooting, or why he didn't drive his friend to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. The hospital declined to release details of Robinson's condition.

A man fled after shooting Robinson with a handgun, police said. Authorities found two shell casings at the scene.

Robinson told police "he just heard a gunshot and felt himself hit,'' said Sgt. Joseph Motto.

Robinson drove to the hospital in a silver Bentley registered to Iverson, who hours earlier scored 30 points in the 76ers' 94-89 home loss to the New Orleans Hornets.

Iverson's attorney, Tom Shuttleworth, declined comment.