Former NBA star Stephon Marbury found his redemption in China after a disappointing NBA career and is now considered to be a Chinese legend.
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Back in the day, Stephon Marbury was one of the most entertaining players to watch in the league at one point. The 6’2 guard was actually the 4th overall pick of the 1996 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and immediately dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Ray Allen and a future 1st rounder.
In his first few years in the NBA, Marbury showed promise, forming a dangerous duo with Kevin Garnett in Minnesota. However, the 2x All star’s ego coupled with various off-the-court issues resulted in him demanding a trade away from the team. This decision was essentially the beginning of the end of Marbury’s NBA career.
Over the next few seasons, the point guard was part of a couple of teams and earned the reputation of a troublemaker in the locker room. Especially during his tenure with the New York Knicks, where it all came crashing down for the former lottery pick.
Stephon Marbury loses his father in the middle of a game.
On December 2, 2007, Donald, Stephon’s dad, sat in the stands to watch his son, then a New York Knick, face the Suns. While the 2x all-star lost the game, he suffered a much more profound loss while the game was in progress. Donald passed away after suffering from chest pains early in the game.
In fact, Marbury wasn’t informed about his father’s death until the game was over upon the request of Marbury’s family. In fact, this loss even affected his performance on the court, as well as his mental health. As a result, he had a mental on his infamous 24-hour live stream, which eventually led to him battling suicide and depression.
It all looked doom and gloom the ex-Suns guard. However, life has a funny way of giving you second chances. But Marbury had to go all the way to China to get his redemption.
Stephon Marbury finds new lease of life in China.
When the former lottery pick left to play in the Chinese basketball league, not even his most optimistic fan would have predicted the level of success Marbury would have. In fact, he failed to reach the playoffs with the Shanxi Zhongyu Brave Dragons and the Foshan Dralions. However, Marbury turned things around when he joined the Beijing Ducks.
In fact, the Ducks won three titles in four years. The feat was so impressive that the team made a life-size statue outside their stadium. Moreover, there are even various stamps and even a museum in his name. However, Marbury’s work was not limited to the court.
Marbury was a huge philanthropist in China, giving back to the society that embraced him as one of their own. The former Knick helped raise money to build schools and fight leukemia. In 2015, he was named one of Beijing’s top 10 model citizens. In fact, Marbury opened up about his move to China once everything got better –
“My father’s death, it was devastating to my family. During that time, when my pops died — I didn’t have my breakdown when I was on live TV. I had my breakdown when I was home, in silence. As far as being depressed, and you’re in a space where you don’t want to eat, crying, trying to figure out how and why. For me, when that happened, basketball was the furthest thing from my mind.
Going to China was just another way to do things. I’d never been to China! I knew nothing about China! People were thinking, He’s just going there to make money. I didn’t even know what I could possibly do in China in building out my brand.
People never knew that. They just took their own ideas and put them out there on paper. They spoke to people about it on TV and on the radio about why it is I did what I did when it wasn’t about that. I came completely naked and vulnerable to learn and love something completely different. So it was an opportunity, and I took it.”
