A Humbled Star(bury)

You call Stephon Marbury a head case. I call him a case study…

If you asked me if Stephon Marbury could ball, I would reply with a resounding yes. If I had pick No. 7 or 8 of any NBA point guard, I would legitimately consider Marbury. Based on his ability alone, he has been great. Marbury has a career average of nearly 20 and 8, which is all the more fascinating when you consider his woeful 07-08 campaign.

This year marked the the first time in Marbury's entire life that he was not the chosen one. Mike D’Antoni and Donnie Walsh entered MSG and in literally minutes, deemed Marbury completely worthless to this team.

But the problem is that we aren’t talking about Stephon Marbury, we are talking about Starbury; the man who is equal parts enigma and malignant team cancer. Starbury; You know, the man who can’t seem to lead a team or himself out of the doghouse.

But what if I told you that everything that happened to Marbury in New York was exactly what he needed to turn his entire career around?

That’s correct, ladies and gentlemen. At age 32, Stephon Marbury might be the key to a team winning a championship, and if it weren’t for the situation with the Knicks, it would not be that way. If you don’t believe me, let me ask you this question:

What does every great basketball player have in common?

They have all been humbled.

It happens to everyone, in every profession. It just happens at a different time per person. You don’t work your hardest until someone knocks you off your high horse.

LeBron was nearly rendered unconscious at least 10 times in last year's postseason as veteran players tried to send him a message. Kobe had to publicly reclaim his greatness before playing his best ball. Michael Jordan didn’t even make his high school team. Hell, Shaq even had to make Kazaam before he got good career advice.

But the interesting thing is that all of these players (and the 100 others I didn’t mention) were humbled in their mid 20s or earlier. They all had enough time to rebound and change their games. They all had time to develop the chip that they would forever wear on their shoulder.

Marbury never did, until now.

The Coney Island kid was surrounded by “yes men” his whole life. He was essentially the chosen one of the New York playgrounds, and he carried that attitude wherever he went.

But more importantly than that, Marbury was told by every NBA team he has ever been on, and every GM that picked him up, that he would be the key talent that brought home a championship. First the Nets traded exclusively for him. Then the Suns traded exclusively for him. Then the Knicks traded exclusively for him. And somehow we didn’t expect Marbury to have an ego so big that it had its own gravitational pull?

This year marked the the first time in Marbury's entire life that he was not the chosen one. Mike D’Antoni and Donnie Walsh entered MSG and in literally minutes deemed Marbury completely worthless to this team.

For the First time in more than 15 years, Starbury was once again Stephon Marbury. And if you are a human being who has ever felt basic emotions, you know what it feels like to be humbled.

I don’t feel bad for anything that has happened to Marbury this season. The man brought it on himself. But usually the rebound after something like this is an incredible one. You get an individual who will work harder, act smarter and more importantly want to prove the entire world wrong.

And that man is about to find his way onto the Celtics; a team that is one great bench player away from being a repeat NBA champion.

You do the math.

At age 32, Stephon Marbury has the outlook on the NBA that he should have had a decade ago. We are about to find out what he can really do.