Despite swearing he would “never come back to China” following his trip last year, 11-time NBA All-Star Allen Iverson has returned.

Iverson was in Beijing yesterday to promote his collaboration with the Youth Basketball Development League (YBDL), a Shanghai-based company that provides basketball training to Chinese children four years-old and up with “English-speaking foreign coaches”.

Along with naming Iverson as the new “chief instructor”, the YBDL plans to open a 20,000 square meter facility in Beijing.

Iverson also took time during a press conference today to praise fellow NBA Hall of Famer Yao Ming as “one of a kind”, saying that he hopes Yao will continue to inspire Chinese basketball fans to follow their dreams.

Iverson wasn’t all smiles however, and was disappointed with friend and Chinese basketball legend Stephon Marbury for not taking the time to meet him during his China tour.

Iverson’s return to China comes after last year’s debacle that saw the NBA star face criticism for not playing in exhibition games, something he didn’t agree to as part of his China tour. Iverson was prevented from going to the airport by disgruntled Chinese promoters, and was forced to make a video apology to Chinese fans after a suicide threat.