It’s common for NBA players to launch and design their own line of shoes.
But former New York Knicks star Stephon Marbury was one of the first to experiment with such a venture that gave special focus to affordable footwear. In 2006, the two-time NBA All-Star launched the famous Starbury One, an inexpensive line that also doubled as a social movement. Despite pricing his Chinese-made signature shoe at $15, its success on the market was short-lived, as former retail partner Steve & Barry’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2008.
The Brooklyn native, however, learned valuable business lessons that would be helpful for other apparel endeavors in China, where he has become a household name thanks to his basketball success. Marbury left the NBA in 2010 and later won three championships in four years playing in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). The former McDonald’s All-American has since been immortalized with his own museum and statue outside the Beijing Ducks Arena.
Marbury, who has honorary citizenship in Beijing, has continued to strike partnerships and business deals in the Middle Kingdom. The former NBA and CBA star and chief brand officer for eyewear company Chamelo joined Business Beyond the Game to discuss his entrepreneurial motivations for moving to China, creating access to quality clothing for underprivileged communities and the resurgence of his hometown New York Knicks.
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