Dennis Rodman Dedicates Bronze Statue Of Stephon Marbury In China
Climbing Mountains In Coney Island Pays Off
Last few years of Stephon Marbury’s career stateside was known much more for mockery than four skills but his fortunes changed since heading overseas.
Marbury was been a breakout star in China, where he led the Beijing Ducks to the Chinese Basketball Association title in March. In honor of Marbury’s role in the championship, the three-time all-star in the Chinese league was been given a bronze statue in his likeness.
The work was unveiled yesterday and Dennis Rodman was on hand for the commencement speech and dedication of the statue.
Stephon Marbury Getting Bronze Statue In China
Climbing Mountains In Coney Island Pays Off
Two weeks ago Stephon Marbury became a champion for the first time since high school when he helped lead his Beijing Ducks to a 4-1 series win over defending Chinese Basketball Association champion Guangdong Hongyuan, bringing the Ducks their first-ever CBA championship.
Marbury put up MVP-caliber numbers in the CBA finals averaging 33.4 points, 6.2 assists and four rebounds a night in the five-game series and poured in 41 points to seal the deciding Game 5. He couldn’t officially be named the series’ most valuable player due to a CBA rule stipulating that no foreign-born player can win the CBA’s regular-season or postseason MVP awards.
Eager to recognize Marbury’s championship-winning performance, though, fans at the Chinese basketball website hoopchina.com started an online campaign aimed at building a statue of the point guard.
Within hours, more than 200,000 fans had thrown their support behind the project; within a week, more than 1 million had voted in favor of pushing the statue into production.
The moment captured is of Marbury lifting the CBA championship trophy has been modeled in clay and will be transported to the Jiangxi Province to start the bronze work.
Stephon Marbury Accused Of Hitting Fan In China
Crazy Man
Former NBA star Stephon Marbury has denied hitting a fan after a testy playoff loss in a Chinese Basketball Association game. The 35-year-old Marbury and his Beijing Ducks teammates were trapped in their team van after their 102-100 road loss on Sunday to the Shanxi Brave Dragons. A newspaper photograph showed fans pounding on the windows of the van.
“I didn’t do that,” Marbury said. “How could I do that over the security guards?”
Marbury scored 25 points in the game that was interrupted for 10 minutes as Shanxi fans threw water bottles onto the court to protest what they deemed to be a bad call.
Marbury was the highest-profile NBA player to join China’s professional basketball league and has said he enjoys playing there. He scored 52 and 53 points in Beijing’s two wins in the series.
“We know that for us to win it all we must trust one another because we are at war now,” Marbury wrote in a column carried in the China Daily.
J.R. Smith Scores 60 Points In Chinese Playoff Game
Taking Off
Just days ago former Denver Nuggets J.R. Smith watched as his sister Stephanie Smith and his girlfriend Britanie Girard got into a altercation with fans of the Chinese Basketball Association. It was the second time form J.R.’s sister in less than a month and that caused him to turn up the heat on the court.
In J.R.’s first game since the altercation he dropped 60 points in the Zhejiang Cyclones 122-110 win over Qingdao Double Star. Smith went 14-18 from downtown and grabbed 8 boards. The Cyclones will face Shandong Bulls in the next round.
JR Smith’s Sister In Second Altercation In China
Check Yourself Before Your Wreck Yourself
Former Denver Nuggets J.R. Smith, who is currently in China playing for the Zhejiang Golden Bulls, has more issues involving his sister, Stephanie Smith. The shooting guard’s sister was reportedly involved in another altercation involving Chinese fans during one of his games.
J.R.’s team faced off against the Tianjin Ronggang Golden Lions, fans were allegedly heckling the New Jersey native as he shot free throws. Along with the heckling, Thunderstix were reportedly thrown onto the court, which led to J.R.’s girlfriend Britanie Girard getting into a shoving match with Tianjin fans, while J’R's sister showed them the middle finger.
She’s no stranger to conflict regarding Chinese onlookers, in a previous situation which we posted on January 12, his sister threw a bottle onto the court, then proceeded to choke a woman, and shove an 80 year old man.
J.R. Smith’s Sister Chokes A Woman During Game In China
Choke That Witch
Details are still sketchy, but it appears that Stephanie Smith, the sister of former Denver Nugget, J.R. Smith choked a woman and shoved an 80-year old man during Smith’s game. J.R.’s team, the Zhejiang Golden Bulls,were playing against the Bayi Rockets and Smith was fouled but didn’t get the call, his sister flew into a rage and threw a bottle onto the court.
From there, things are unclear but photos show his sister in some sort of altercation with a woman in the stands. A few upset Bayi fans also interfered with Smith’s team ability to depart following the incident, demanding an apology from the Smith family.
Bayi Rockets is the same team that had a brawl last summer with the Georgetown University basketball team.
Yi Jianlian Signs Deal To Play In China
Union Strong
Yi Jianlian has signed a contract with the Chinese Basketball Association’s Guangdong Southern Tigers, the team with which his pro career started, but unlike fellow NBA players deals with Chinese teams, Yi’s includes an out-clause allowing him to return to the U.S. upon settlement of the lockout since he’s a Chinese national.
Three Denver Nuggets Wilson Chandler, J.R. Smith and Kenyon Martin have all signed deals in China, and will not be able to return until the season is over under the league’s no-out provision. However Orlando Magic Earl Clark was granted an exception to be let out of his deal for “personal reasons” if he needs to return since his girlfriend is pregnant.
CBA teams are not allowed to sign players under NBA contracts Yi will be an unrestricted free agent, as the Washington Wizards declined to extend his $5.4 million qualifying offer. Yi played for the Tigers from 2002-07, before being drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks. He struggled in Washington last year, but won MVP of the FIBA Asian Basketball Championship, averaging 16.6 points and 10.8 rebounds, in leading China to the title and an automatic berth in next summer’s London Olympics.
Kenyon Martin Headed To China
Whats Nene Lips Doing On Your Neck
Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin will sign a contract without an out clause to play in China to play with Xingiang Guanghui in the Chinese Basketball Association.
“It’s a great opportunity for him to stay in shape and stay fresh,” Andy Miller, Martin’s agent told the Denver Post. “And it also gives him an opportunity to expand his name globally.”
The league ends February 16 but the playoffs could last through March. Martin’s one-year deal will pay him $2.65 million for the season.
This isn’t the first loss for the Nuggets during the lockout as Wilson Chandler and J.R. Smith have also signed on with Chinese teams.
