(1 / 2) I want to say that the first time I ever learned about @starburymarbury was the first time I picked up a copy of @slam magazine - the second issue ever.
I was14 years old and didn’t have a job or anything so the $3.99 I spent on that issue lasted me a good 2 years. I read it front to back probably 10 times. The fact that they wrote an article on a high school kid had me so excited. The potential. The promise.
There was a pic of Steph playing at Lincoln High in Coney Island and I was transfixed on the gym. It just looked like nothing like the gym I played in. The first time I watched ‘Above the Rim’ with #2pac and @marlonwayans (which seems to be sorta based on Marbury’s life) and I coulda swore they went to watch Kyle Lee Watson (the character that played Steph) at the same gym that Steph played in in real life. Not confirmed.
Steph was an enigma to me. Even though I had never seen him play (Coney Island HS basketball games weren’t exactly on the same network as California mountain TV), I was transfixed by the idea of him and what he represented. A dude born into basketball. A dude born TO play basketball. I remember seeing him in a Georgia Tech jersey once...on a black and white TV.
In 97 - I had pictures of him and @tic_pix plastered all over my locker. He gave me motivation. I busted my ass on the basketball court and fought tooth and nail for every loose ball. I got that idea from the idea of Steph. And his court style was impeccable. I traded some Nike UNC shorts for a pair of @and1 shorts and I worked for my mom for a few months to buy a pair of the Marbury 1’s. Great streetball shoes (but they didn’t help me make my school’s basketball team).
I saw him play in person once - his first year as a Net. And I saw him at MSG too. I think I was maybe 20 years old...in the year 2000. I was elated to see him even though the game was trash. I remember this fake he pulled on @officialvladedivac in the ASG and I want to say he hit the game winner but AI actually was the MVP...I felt Stephs pain...