 |
Stephon MarburyAmerican professional basketball player
Date of Birth: 20.02.1977
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Stephon Marbury: From NBA Stardom to KBA Legend
- NBA Career: Rise and Turbulence
- 'Most Hated Athlete in New York'
- KBA Success
- Personal Life
Stephon Marbury: From NBA Stardom to KBA Legend
Early Years and High School CareerStephon Xavier Marbury, born on February 20, 1977, in Brooklyn, New York, grew up as one of six children. He emerged as a dominant basketball player at Abraham Lincoln High School, earning the title of "New York State Mr. Basketball" in his senior year. Marbury's high school exploits were immortalized in Darcy Frey's book, "The Last Shot," which chronicled the lives of three seniors, including the ninth-grader Marbury.
As a senior, "Starbury" played for the renowned New York Gauchos of the Amateur Athletic Union. In 1995, he was named a McDonald's All-American alongside future NBA stars Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, and Antawn Jamison. Marbury became one of the nation's top five recruits, garnering the interest of coach Bobby Cremins.
NBA Career: Rise and Turbulence
Drafted fourth overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1996 NBA Draft out of Georgia Tech, Marbury was soon traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Ray Allen. During the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season, his agent, David Falk, requested a trade, citing Marbury's desire to be closer to family and friends. However, some speculated that his animosity towards Minnesota and envy of Garnett's new contract drove the decision. Marbury ended up in New Jersey Nets as part of a three-team trade that sent Terrell Brandon from Milwaukee to Minnesota and Sam Cassell from New Jersey to Milwaukee.
In New Jersey, Marbury developed into an NBA superstar. He made the All-NBA Third Team in 2000 and hit two game-winning three-pointers in the 2001 All-Star Game. On February 13, 2001, Marbury scored a career-high 50 points in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Traded to the Phoenix Suns in the 2001 offseason for Jason Kidd and Chris Dudley, Marbury joined a formidable trio with Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion. He led the Suns to the playoffs, but they lost in the first round to the San Antonio Spurs.
In January 2004, Marbury, Penny Hardaway, and Cezary Trybanski were traded to the New York Knicks. The move was particularly significant for Marbury, a lifelong Knicks fan who grew up in New York.
'Most Hated Athlete in New York'
Despite a bronze medal with Team USA at the 2004 Olympics, Marbury's tenure with the Knicks was marked by a bitter feud with head coach Larry Brown and poor performances. Commentators Frank Isola and Michael O'Keefe labeled Marbury the "most hated athlete in New York." His open hostility towards Brown contributed to the coach's firing at the end of the 2005-06 season.
Isiah Thomas, Brown's successor, managed a slight improvement. While Marbury's statistics declined, his "newfound selflessness" played a role in the Knicks' improved play towards the end of the 2006-07 season.
KBA Success
After another dismal start to the 2007-08 season, Marbury's reported spat with Thomas, which allegedly involved the player spitting in the coach's direction, led to rumors of a trade. Thomas suggested in February 2008 that Marbury had played his last game for the Knicks. However, Thomas was fired in April 2008 and replaced as president by Donnie Walsh, who hired Mike D'Antoni as the new Knicks coach.
On February 24, 2009, the Knicks and Marbury agreed to a contract buyout after protracted negotiations. Three days later, the free agent signed a deal with the Boston Celtics, debuting against the Indiana Pacers. Ultimately, Marbury rejected a veteran's minimum contract and left the Celtics to pursue business ventures.
In January 2010, Marbury signed with the Shanxi Zhongyu of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He was named MVP of the CBA All-Star Game, scoring 30 points and dishing out 10 assists for the Northern Conference.
Marbury moved to the Foshan Dralions in December 2010 and then to the Beijing Ducks in the 2011-12 season after a move to Beijing. He later credited his success in China to the country's culture, which he described as "full of love, compassion, and care" in the "China Daily."
The Beijing Ducks announced Marbury's departure on April 24, 2017. In July of the same year, Marbury signed with the Beijing Fly Dragons for what would be his final season. His KBA career concluded on February 11, 2018, with a 20-point performance in a win over the Jiangsu Dragons.
Personal Life
Marbury has been married to Latasha since September 14, 2002. The couple has three children. In 2007, Marbury and Marshall Dean released a children's book, "The Adventures of Young Starbury: Practice Makes Perfect," illustrated by Ryan Nakai.
