After several years of being away from the hard court, Allen Iverson will soon be announcing his retirement from the NBA.

Slam Online reports that according to a source close to the Virginia native, the former All-Star is expected to officially announce his retirement from the league three years after he left the NBA indefinitely.

"He had a magnificent career, and he enjoyed every minute of it," the source told the basketball news site. "He enjoyed the places basketball took him, he enjoyed the camaraderie with his teammates and he especially enjoyed that his job was playing the game that he loved."

Iverson was among the best point guards in the league during his heyday as a Philadelphia 76er. He was the no. 1 pick in the 1996 NBA Drafts, and was rookie of the year in the 96-97 season. He won the NBA scoring title during the 1998-99, 2000-01, 2001-02 and 2004-05 seasons, and was also an 11-time NBA All-Star. Standing at just 6-feet flat, AI -- as he was famously called -- was one of the most successful point guards in the league ever. He was even honored with the league Most Valuable Player award in 2001, and was a two-time All-Star MVP (2001, 2005).

However, after a rollercoaster ride in the latter years of his 14-year NBA career -- jumping from Philly to Denver, Detroit, Memphis and back to Philadelphia -- everything went sour for the player.

Earlier this year, in March, Iverson went back to the hard court, but only to lead the opening tipoff at the Wells Fargo Center. In an interview with him on that day, ESPN reports the famous #3 jersey indicated that he would still love to make a comeback in the NBA. But, as Slam Online noted, he would accept whatever the future brings.

"My No. 1 goal is trying to accomplish to be the best dad that I can. And if basketball is in my near future, then God will make that happen. But if not, I had a great ride and I've done a lot of special things that a lot of guys have not been able to accomplish and people thought I couldn't accomplish."

The source also noted that AI will always have a special place in his heart for basketball.