Chinese Basketball Association superstar and former NBA All-Star Stephon Marbury has officially announced that he will be returning to Beijing for one final year. But no, he won’t be rejoining the Ducks. Instead he’ll be playing with city rivals, the Beijing Fly Dragons.
Marbury made the announcement on Instagram on Wednesday:
"So the story goes like this. I'm staying in Beijing for my last and final season. The other Beijing team. I have to put on for the city no matter the team. It's a different mission and vision over here in the JING. The fans said stay so I'm staying. They said 'we will love you no matter where you go.' It's hard to leave that type of love. Thanking God for another contract!"
The 40 year old got his start with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1996, and went on to become an NBA All-Star for the New Jersey Nets in 2001 and Phoenix Suns in 2003. Before heading to China, he played for the New York Knicks from 2004-2009.
Marbury landed in China in 2010, first playing for Shanxi and then for Foshan. In 2011, he made the move to the Beijing Ducks, where he led the team to three CBA championships. However, Marbury parted ways with the Ducks earlier this year after the team voided the last year of his contract.
The Fly Dragons entered the CBA in 2014 as an expansion team. The team has yet to find their footing in the league. Last year, they had a less than stellar 9-29 record. However, with the signing of Marbury, Shavlik Randolph and Zaid Abbass the team hopes to turn things around this season.
[Image via Daily Mail]
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