HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — With some of his old NBA buddies like Joe Smith, Tim Thomas and Stephen Jackson on hand, Allen Iverson is back in Hampton for his now-annual Iverson Classic.

Thursday night at Bethel High School served as a warmup ahead of the big event at the Hampton Coliseum on Saturday.

Saturday’s game will feature some of the top-rated high school basketball players in the country, with Thursday’s game offering a tune-up for another group of elite basketball players.

One of those players was former Oscar Smith Center Kareem Stagg, who will play at Georgia.

When Iverson arrived, he was greeted by friends, fans and old teammates.

“I’ve never felt like Allen Iverson has gotten his just due or what he deserves,” said retired NBA player Stephen Jackson. “We take our time every year to continue to show love because I think he deserves more.”

While Thursday was exciting, with plenty of high-flying action, Saturday is the real show at the Hampton Coliseum, and it’s something Iverson himself shows pride in.

“This is a dream for me, ” Iverson said. “I never thought of being able to have an impact like this, to be able to bring something like this home, especially for the kids that are where I am from, to be able to see this and understand they can do the same thing.”