While Stephon Marbury’s basketball career in the United States flamed nearly 3 seasons ago amid squabbles with coaches, nagging injuries, and YouTube videos showing him crying or eating glue, his tenure playing in the Chinese Basketball League has been a blazing success.
Not only is he playing well for the Beijing Jinyu Ducks, but he arguably has been China’s best player over the past two seasons, even taking home All Star Game MVP honors in 2010.
Even though it’s been well documented that former Denver Nuggets guard JR Smith is now known as the “Jordan of China” for his 40 and 50 point scoring outbursts this season, Marbury has become a sort of a de-facto native son of the Chinese people, even stating that the Far East is now his home, wants to stay there a long time, and wants to coach the Chinese National Team once he eventually retires.
Contrary to his demeanor on and off the NBA hardwood, Marbury has also helped mentor and ease the transition of a number of NBA players like Wilson Chandler, Aaron Brooks, and JR Smith, who almost had his contract voided in it’s first month amid squabbles with management.
Recently, Marbury’a Beijing squad squared off against Smith’s Zhejiang team in league competition. Despite Smith pouring in an impressive 39 points and 9 boards, Marbury got the win and an awesome stat-line of his own, consisting of 45 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, earning him the ever elusive triple-double.
Marbury’s 45 Pt Triple-Double vs JR Smith’s 39 Pts:
Source: NBA247365.com
Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen has also provided content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, Cleveland.com, CSN Philly.com, Buckets Magazine, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
