Failed NBA Career? Don't Feel Bad For Stephon Marbury

Because he is already a legend in China.

Yao said there is a statue built for Marbury in Beijing after he led the city’s team to the Chinese Basketball Association title. “They don’t even have a statue for me,” he laughed. Asked if there’s a statue for him in Houston where he played eight years for the Rockets, Yao said, “no, that’s Hakeem’s town,” referring to Nigeria’s Hakeem Olajuwon who was a naturalized player on the US squad at the 1996 Olympics.

(2012)




More Yao:

Yao said of the five Chinese NBA veterans in history, only 6-10 Bateer Mengke has a championship ring to show with the 2002-03 San Antonio Spurs even as he wasn’t on the playoff roster.

In my career, I received only one championship ring and it got lost,” he related. “That was when I played with the Shanghai Sharks and we won the Chinese Basketball Association title in 2002. They gave me a championship ring in a box. It didn’t have my name because the rings were given out right after the last game. I gave it to somebody while I went to cut down the net from the ring. Later, I looked for the guy who had my ring and never found him. But I still have the net.”

There probably won't be any statues of Marbury outside any NBA arenas, but all-in-all, his career was pretty successful. He's not making any all-time best lists, but he's far from making any all-time bust lists, either. His NBA career did kind of end with a whimper, though.

As for Yao, that's a real shame about his championship ring with the Sharks. Not cool, guy who stole that.

I'd read up a lot about Marbury's career after the NBA. He was in a really bad place after his dad died during a Knicks game and going to China was the best thing that could happen to him. Most players see playing in China as just a paycheck but he's really embraced the culture and people and genuinely loves being there. He's won 2 (maybe 3?) championships and on the first one he wasn't even eligible for the MVP trophy as it was not allowed to be given to foreigners

There probably won't be any statues of Marbury outside any NBA arenas, but all-in-all, his career was pretty successful. He's not making any all-time best lists, but he's far from making any all-time bust lists, either. His NBA career did kind of end with a whimper, though.

As for Yao, that's a real shame about his championship ring with the Sharks. Not cool, guy who stole that.

he would probably crack the top 10 ball hogs of all time

More NBA player statues in China...


Shaq has a 50-foot statue commissioned by shoe company Li Ning...




And China's god-emperor Kobe...




While Shaq's maybe 50 feet, it's placed at a park entrance, like those figures you find in a mini-golf course or those gnomes on people's lawns.

Kobe's statue is placed at the entrance of a museum, as it rightfully should because Kobe is a historical artistic treasure that should be cherished by future generations.

The difference.

I'd read up a lot about Marbury's career after the NBA. He was in a really bad place after his dad died during a Knicks game and going to China was the best thing that could happen to him. Most players see playing in China as just a paycheck but he's really embraced the culture and people and genuinely loves being there. He's won 2 (maybe 3?) championships and on the first one he wasn't even eligible for the MVP trophy as it was not allowed to be given to foreigners

I haven't read anything about that, but that sounds like a nice story...or at least, a happy ending to his professional career, following the troubles that derailed his NBA career.

he would probably crack the top 10 ball hogs of all time

Well, statistically he's not even top 50, but then again, basing the term "ball hog" on that metric is arguably over-simplifying somewhat.

I am happy for Marbury and that he has found peace in China, the NY media chewed him up and spat him out and they baited him in to looking stupid so many times.

Good on you Starbury!

Wow. One of the rare success story for an ex-NBAer to make such impact both on and off the court in overseas. It seems he's appreciated greatly by fans over there. Probably opened door for a lot of NBAers that came after him.



Where is Jermy Lin statue?

Perhaps they could erect one in Torrance for him.

I am pretty sure all Chinese people have to love Yao and only Yao when it comes to players, I am sure not liking Yao carries the death sentence there lol

One of the most entertaining PG back when he was still in the NBA. Along with Stevie Franchise, J-Will ...

There probably won't be any statues of Marbury outside any NBA arenas, but all-in-all, his career was pretty successful. He's not making any all-time best lists, but he's far from making any all-time bust lists, either. His NBA career did kind of end with a whimper, though.

As for Yao, that's a real shame about his championship ring with the Sharks. Not cool, guy who stole that.

To me, he's like Rasheed Wallace and Derrick Coleman - extremely talented, but could have been so much more.

Yeah I'd put him in that group too. I think Wallace came fairly close to fulfilling his potential though: good numbers, All-Star appearances, a key member on the 2004 Champion Detroit Pistons.

Marbury eating vaseline is still one of the weirdest things I've ever seen NBA related. And that's coming from me...so yeah.

Marbury had some bad money grabbing people around him why he was in the nba more so in NY as stated by many living in the area who know the bad people who latched on to him, Leaving for China is the best thing he could of done for his life / career at that point

Makes me wonder why Stephon chose China over Euro league. Back then, China was still kinda like wilderness off the grid place while Euro was already established market as an alternative option to NBA players.

I think Marbury went to China for two reasons, 1 being to get as far away from modern day basketball which of course was the nba and like you said novu Europe was becoming that as well, And 2 because the guy truly wants to pass something on to the next generation which in a way is what he tried to do with his Starbury shoes but it just didn't take off in the money making USA but in China he got to play and teach the game of basketball and take that to the next level.

As a result the man is treated like a god there.