Marbury back in Manila for more outreach projects

MANILA, Philippines – Making true his promise of helping impoverished Filipinos, particularly the youth, former two-time National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Stephon Marbury arrives today for a three-day stay and make another round of charity work.

Marbury will start his fourth Manila visit by teaming up with Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Manila vice mayor Isko Moreno, and his local agent, Sheryl Reyes, for a shoe-giving project at the Tondo National High School. Said activity is in line with Marbury’s desire of giving back to the community by providing the youth with low-cost, high-quality footwear through his Starbury shoe line, and at the same time promote an active lifestyle.

“I know how it is to grow up and not have the finer things,” said Marbury in an e-mail message ahead of his Manila-bound flight. “I’ve been so blessed beyond my wildest dreams and I just want to share those blessings with the Filipino youth and I hope one day they will pay it forward and be a blessing to others.”

For his part, Angara, Chair of the Senate Committee on Games, Amusement and Sports, said that it was the 37-year-old’s rags to riches story and love for the Filipinos are which convinced the senator to join Marbury’s cause.

“Stephon continues to be an inspiration to kids worldwide because of his inspiring story of having come from humble beginnings to NBA superstardom. That he chooses the Philippines as his venue for his charitable efforts  is truly welcome and admirable given how much Filipinos love basketball and look up to him,” Angara relayed.

It can be recalled that Marbury’s previous trips to the Philippines included a charity basketball event August of last year for the benefit of the National Press Club of the Philippines for its medical and educational assistance fund for its members and their immediate families and Ahon Pamilyang Lansangan Foundation that is caring for children afflicted with the liver diseases Biliary Atresia and are needing immediate transplants.

Aside from the shoe drive, there will also be an apple drive project spearheaded by JCI Makati.

Known for his cat-quick moves, Marbury, a playground legend from Coney Island, New York,  was the fourth overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks before being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1996 NBA Draft after an electrifying collegiate career with Georgia Tech.

He later played for four more teams in the league – New Jersey (Brooklyn) Nets, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, and the Boston Celtics before packing his bags to show his wares in China to play for the Zhongyu Dragons and later on the Beijing Ducks in the Chinese Basketball Association.

In 2012, Marbury, an Olympic bronze medalist, steered the Ducks to the CBA crown past seven-time champions Guangdong Southern Tigers. Last March, he repeated the feat by leading Beijing to another title after beating the Xinjoang Flying Tigers in their best-of-seven finals battle.