Stephon Marbury

Stephon Xavier Marbury (born February 20, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. A point guard, Marbury played college basketball for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets for one season. He was selected as the fourth overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks; shortly thereafter, he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. A two-time NBA All-Star and two-time member of the All-NBA Team, Marbury played for five teams in a 13-year NBA career that ended in 2009. He then played in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) until his retirement in 2018. During his time in the CBA, Marbury won three CBA championships, was named Finals MVP in 2015, and made three CBA All-Star Games. He also served as head coach of the Beijing Royal Fighters from 2019 to 2023.

Marbury has often gone by the nickname "Starbury", a name created during his youth. Marbury, the sixth of seven children, was born and raised in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City. He attended elementary school, PS 329. During his teenage years, he starred at NYC powerhouse Abraham Lincoln High School, After his senior year Marbury was named New York State Mr. Basketball, after averaging 27.4 points, 8.3 assists and 3 steals per game. He was often heralded as the next great NYC point guard, expected to follow the success of NBA stand-outs Mark Jackson and Kenny Anderson.

While still attending Abraham Lincoln High School he was one of the subjects of Darcy Frey's book The Last Shot, which followed three seniors and Marbury, a freshman, through the early months of his first season with the school's team. In high school, he played for the AAU team the New York Gauchos.

He was named a 1995 McDonald's All-American along with future NBA All-Stars Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, and Antawn Jamison. Marbury was listed as one of the top five recruits in the country that year and was pursued by Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets coach Bobby Cremins, with whom he eventually committed.

At Georgia Tech, Marbury took over the starting point guard role left vacant with Travis Best's departure. Teaming with future NBA players Matt Harpring and Drew Barry, Marbury led Georgia Tech to a 24–12 record en route to the Regional Semi-final game of the NCAA tournament, where the Yellow Jackets lost to Cincinnati 87–70. For the season, Marbury averaged 18.9 ppg and 4.5 assists and was named a Third Team All American by the Associated Press, along with several conference honors. Following the season he declared himself eligible for the 1996 NBA draft.

He was selected fourth overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1996 NBA draft, then traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the draft rights to Ray Allen (who was drafted immediately after him) and a future first-round pick. In his first season in the league, Marbury averaged 15.8 points and 7.8 assists per game and was named to the 1997 All-Rookie Team. He and second-year player Kevin Garnett led the Timberwolves to the NBA playoffs in 1997 and 1998. During the 1997 NBA Playoffs, Marbury led Minnesota in scoring with 28 points during a first round Game 1 loss to the Houston Rockets.

During the lockout-shortened 1999 season, Marbury's agent, David Falk, demanded a trade. Marbury said he wanted to be closer to his family and friends. Other reports said he wanted to go to a market that would provide more endorsement opportunities, while others suggested that Marbury genuinely disliked Minnesota and was jealous of Kevin Garnett's new contract. Marbury was ultimately traded to the New Jersey Nets, alongside Bill Curley and Chris Carr of the Timberwolves and Elliot Perry of the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-way trade where the Timberwolves acquired Terrell Brandon, Brian Evans and draft considerations and the Bucks acquired Sam Cassell and Chris Gatling.

While in New Jersey, Marbury blossomed into an All-Star. Marbury made the All-NBA 3rd Team in 2000 and was selected as a reserve for the 2001 All-Star Game, where he hit 2 clutch threes to win the game. Marbury also scored a career-high 50 points on February 13, 2001, in an overtime loss against the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite his individual accolades, the Nets never made the playoffs during Marbury's time with the team.