After a year away, Ice Cube and BIG3 basketball are set to make a Philadelphia return Sunday at the Liacouras Center

Nearly two years ago, fans flocked to the Wells Fargo Center with the hope of seeing former 76ers star Allen Iverson step onto the floor as a player for the first time in seven years. Iverson was a player-coach for 3′s Company in the inaugural season of Ice Cube’s summertime basketball league, BIG3. And for many, the chance to see Iverson in action once again made for a must-see event.

That July night, though, The Answer was only a coach. Thirty minutes before tipoff, Iverson announced via social media that he would sit out, citing “doctor’s orders.” When fans realized that the event’s main draw wouldn’t be leaving his seat on the bench, they showed their displeasure, booing Iverson and leaving en masse before halftime.

“We found out the day of the game that Allen Iverson wasn’t playing,” Ice Cube said on Wednesday during a conference call. “So that was a pretty difficult experience to go through.”

In its second year, which Iverson began with 3′s Company in a coaching role before quitting entirely, the BIG3 didn’t come to Philadelphia at all.

This year, Iverson is still not involved with the BIG3. But Philadelphia is. On Sunday, The Liacouras Center will host three BIG3 games, beginning at 5 p.m. Ice Cube said the league’s decision to skip Philadelphia last year was unrelated to the fans’ response to Iverson’s decision not to play in 2017.

“We wanted to come back to Philly because ... we love the fans” Ice Cube said. “The fans actually were extremely supportive.”

Ice Cube said that the BIG3 was looking for a venue other than the Wells Fargo Center after some “issues” arose during the first season.

“Year 2, we tried to make it work, but we couldn’t," he said. “We were very dedicated to get back this year, maybe try another building and see if it’s a better experience for us to put on the game, because the fans were great. So that’s why we’re back.”

In its third year, the BIG3 is still in business not only because of Ice Cube’s association but because it features numerous former NBA stars in a half-court, 3-on-3 format. The big names at Temple on Sunday include Amar’e Stoudemire, Greg Oden, Rashard Lewis, Josh Smith, and Mike Bibby.

Additionally, former Sixers star Julius Erving, who coaches the BIG3′s Tri-State team, and Philadelphia native Cuttino Mobley, who spent the majority of 11 NBA seasons with the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers, will square off in the evening’s final matchup when Tri-State takes on Power.