HAMPTON, Va. (WTKR) — Walking back into a building he dazzled on a regular basis in high school, Allen Iverson could only help but smile.
The former Bethel High School star returned to the area to host his annual Iverson Classic on Saturday, the first time the high school all-star game has been played in Hampton Roads in the event's history.
As he watched the next generation of basketball stars take the floor, the former NBA Most Valuable Player couldn't help but remember his chances to prove himself on that same court.
"The hunger, the love for the game," he said. "Playing against Hampton High in here and getting that win. A lot of memories because I've been in here so many times."
Now a Naismith Memorial Basketall Hall of Fame member, Iverson burst onto the scene in high school with the Bruins. He regularly torched opponents in the Hampton Coliseum, including a thrilling win over Hampton in 1993 in a Peninsula District title game.
That matchup drew more than 8,000 fans to the arena.
"In terms of basketball, in a lot of ways this is the house that Allen Iverson built," said Iverson Classic co-founder Jai Manselle. "So to come back with his name on the side of it and to be the mentor, it's a dream come true."
"This is my home," Iverson said.
The game brings in 24 of the top high school basketball prospects in the country. Along with the game, they compted in a dunk and three-point shooting contest on Thursday and went out into the community for a resource fair on Saturday morning.
The players likely didn't see Iverson play much as they were growing up but are well versed about the legend that inspired the game.
"He was kind of the leader of it all. You see guys in high school who are wearing tattoos and headbands," said Arizona commit Carter Bryant. "He was kind of the pioneer of it all."
"Guys like that, they changed the game," said Duke signee Isaiah Evans. "He invented the crossover and that's stuff that guys like me, a perimeter scorer, use in my game."
Iverson's legacy felt throughout generations of players, put on display Saturday night in the Coliseum.
The 11-time NBA All-Star sees plenty of himself in those hoopers, a full circle moment as Iverson watches them prove themselves in the same gym he did 30 years ago.
"I wanted my dream to come true and these guys want their dream to come true," Iverson said. "These guys come out here, they want to compete at a high level. They want to put on a show and make everyone happy, and that's the same feeling I had."
