Stephon Marbury - A winner twice over

Stephon Marbury entered the room to a healthy dose of applause from the crowd. He wore a striped polo shirt, jeans, and bright red shoes. At first glance it looked like Marbury, the two-time NBA All Star, was afraid of the crowd.

The room was decorated with balloons, a couch was on the stage. It was Marbury’s welcome dinner arranged by basketball agent Sheryl Reyes. Marbury walked slowly to the center of the room then raised his hand to acknowledge the cheers.

NBA players both former and current have often made their way here to the Philippines. When these guys enter a room, they usually demand attention. Not Marbury who looked almost shy.

“I never imagined I’ll be here in the Philippines with all of you guys,” Marbury said. “China is my second home but you guys made me feel right at home.”

Marbury was selected fourth overall in 1996 NBA Draft. In that draft class, Allen Iverson was selected first overall. Ray Allen was selected right after Marbury and some high school kid named Kobe Bryant was drafted 13th.

Iverson and Marbury, both high-scoring point guards, fell through the cracks a few years back while the shooting guards drafted after them are still standing. Bryant is still one of the best players in the NBA while Allen turned into a deadly role player for the NBA champion Miami Heat.

When the buffet line was opened, Marbury was escorted to a small table all for himself. He refused to be served his food so he lined up with everyone else. Marbury placed his plate on the table but he quickly changed his mind. He picked it up again and made his way to one of the tables at the back to eat beside the guests who all came to see him.

Iverson and Marbury were supposed to fall under the same category. They were supposed to be cautionary tales of how abruptly an NBA career can end. Marbury went to China, Iverson went to Turkey and they were supposed to spend the rest of their strength trying to get back to the NBA.

However, the two differed in their approach. While Iverson tried forcing his way back to the NBA, Marbury played with the hand he was dealt. He played with three CBA teams until he finally won a championship with the Beijing Ducks.

“I’d like to think that there are opportunities for me to go back to the NBA,” Marbury admitted. “But I like playing in China.”

Though playing basketball is a huge factor in staying in China, another reason is that Marbury wants to continue his advocacies.

His brand Starbury is built on the idea of giving everyone the opportunity to play basketball even if they don’t have the means to pay for expensive shoes. While a pair of top-of-the-line basketball shoes could cost as much as $200, Starbury shoes don’t even reach $20.

Marbury was in the country to promote his brand, which will be available later this year. However, along with the promotion came a strong advocacy. He’s looking out for the children who want to play basketball but don’t have a lot of money for shoes.

Unlike other NBA stars who fell out of the league, Marbury managed to continue his career apart from the NBA. The Brooklyn native went against all odds by making it to the NBA and having a successful career. He then faced stiff odds again, but he found success halfway around the globe. - AMD, GMA News