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Stephon Marbury: Former NBA All-Star playing final season in China

By Alex Butler

July 22 (UPI) -- Two-time NBA All-Star Stephon Marbury announced that this will be his final season playing professional basketball.

He'll wrap up his lucrative career with the Beijing Fly Dragons in the Chinese Basketball Association.

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Marbury, 40, was the No. 4 overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, selected ahead of names like Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash. He went on to play more than two seasons for the Minnesota Timberwolves before joining the New Jersey Nets in 1998. He also played for the Phoenix Suns before joining the New York Knicks in 2003. Marbury played his final season in 2008 for the Boston Celtics.

He averaged 19.3 points, 7.6 assists and 3 rebounds per game during his 13-year NBA career.

"So the story goes like this," Marbury wrote on social media Wednesday. "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! #Blessed by the most high. #loveislove #starbury."

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Marbury played for the Beijing Ducks from 2011 through last season. The Ducks won the CBA in 2012, 2014 and 2015.

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