Stephon Marbury

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Marbury has often gone by the nickname 'Starbury', a name created during his youth. He 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. While still attending Abraham Lincoln High School he was one of the subjects of Darcy Frey's book The Last Shot. 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.

In Their Own Story

The Target Center witnessed Marbury's emergence as a force during the 1997 playoffs against the Houston Rockets. In Game 1 of that first-round series, with the Timberwolves facing elimination pressure early in their franchise history, Marbury stepped up to lead Minnesota in scoring. He dropped 28 points, showcasing the offensive firepower that had made him the fourth overall pick just a year prior. Although the team fell short in that specific matchup, the performance highlighted the dynamic he shared with Kevin Garnett, who was already a second-year sensation. Together, they guided the Wolves to the postseason in both 1997 and 1998, creating a rare playoff presence for the franchise. Yet, by 1999, the relationship between player and city soured. Amidst rumors of jealousy regarding Garnett's contract and desires to return east, Marbury's agent David Falk pushed for a move. The resulting three-way trade sent Marbury to the New Jersey Nets, marking the end of his first chapter in Minnesota.

Reader's Guide

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 and a future first-round pick. In his first season, 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. Marbury was traded to the Phoenix Suns along with Johnny Newman and Soumaila Samake in the 2001 offseason for Jason Kidd and Chris Dudley. On November 30, 2002, Marbury scored a season-high 43 points, including 26 in the 4th quarter, to lead the Suns to a 94–87 win over the San Antonio Spurs. As a Sun, Marbury made his second All-Star team and the All-NBA 3rd team in 2003. Teamed with Rookie of the Year Amar'e Stoudemire and All-Star Shawn Marion, the trio took the team to the 2003 NBA playoffs, but the Suns were ousted by the Spurs in the first round. Marbury, Penny Hardaway and Cezary Trybański were traded to the New York Knicks on January 5, 2004, for Howard Eisley, Charlie Ward, Antonio McDyess, Maciej Lampe, draft rights to Miloš Vujanić, a first-r

Did You Know?

• Marbury scored a career-high 50 points on February 13, 2001, in an overtime loss against the Los Angeles Lakers.
• He scored a U.S. team Olympic record 31 points in a game against Spain during the 2004 Summer Olympics.
• Marbury was one of the subjects of Darcy Frey's book The Last Shot while still attending Abraham Lincoln High School.