By Greg Hutchins

From the asphalt of Rucker Park to the hardwood of Madison Square Garden, New York has long been the home to prodigious point guards. Nate Archibald, Pearl Washington, Mark Jackson, Rod Strickland, Kenny Smith & Kenny Anderson all represent the rich tradition of floor generals to come out of the city, but never has there been a player so dynamic and equally enigmatic as Stephon Xavier Marbury. From Lincoln High to Georgia Tech to the NBA, Marbury's tale is both impressive & maddening.

Fresh off winning the NBA title, Finals MVP Paul Pierce took a moment to chime in on the plight of Marbury. "Everywhere he's gone, they put him in the position to be the main guy," Pierce said. "I really don't look at Steph as the main guy.... there's all kinds of pressure that comes along with being the main guy." Essentially, this statement sums up the mercurial ride of Coney Island's Finest. After 5 seasons as the focal point for a struggling New York Knicks regime, Marbury's NBA career is at a crossroads.

Flashback to January 5th, 2004: In efforts to make a big splash as newly installed Team President, Isiah Thomas brokered a trade that sent Charlie Ward, Antonio McDyess, Howard Eisley, Maciej Lampe, the draft rights to Milos Vujanic, an unconditional 2004 first-round draft pick and a conditional future first-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for All-Star guard Stephon Marbury, Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway & Cezary Trybanski. Fast forward to the present and the Knicks have won approximately 30% of their games with Marbury on the roster. With one year left of his contract at $21.9M, Marbury has become a prime candidate for a standard-issue, Jim Dolan buyout package. Moreover, the conditional future first-round pick (acquired by Utah) that was essentially an after-thought, has the become one of the more painful reminders of Isiah Thomas' ineptitude. As Donnie Walsh looks ahead to the summer of 2010, there's a distinct possibility that the draft pick may result in a lottery selection for the Utah Jazz. Surely Jazz assistant coach & former Knicks General Manager, Scott Layden must find all this very rewarding.

For everyone who craved a prolific superstar to carry the post-Ewing Knicks, "Starbury" fit the bill at the time. The two-time All Star point guard was a supremely talented player and proud New Yorker. During Year One of the Marbury era, fans were routinely treated to watching him rack up points & assists at a rapid clip. Marbury would go on to post double-figure assists in 20 games while leading the team in scoring 26 times. In only 47 regular season games as a Knick, Marbury's impact led to a second half surge. With Marbury in the starting lineup, the Knicks posted a 25-22 mark en route to a playoff berth. Marbury's signature game during his first season in New York was a masterful performance against the Milwaukee Bucks. With the team down 26, Marbury would lead a furious comeback with a 21-point, 16-assist outing. Anyone who remembers this game truly believed that despite the high cost of acquiring Starbury, he was worth the investment. The passion that Marbury brought to the Garden floor was invigorating. Who can forget the images of Marbury rallying the troops and playing to the crowd? He relished playing in front of his hometown fans like no other. Unfortunately, Marbury's Knicks were swept out of the playoffs by the rival NJ Nets. The loss was only a glimpse of the disappointment to follow.

Things began to go awry for Marbury shortly after he uttered the following words one year later: "Don't get me wrong, I love Jason Kidd, he is a great point guard, but how am I comparing myself to him when I think I'm the best point guard to play basketball? That makes no sense. I can't compare myself to somebody when I already think I'm the best. I'm telling you what it is. I know I'm the best point guard in the NBA." Those candid comments made Marbury a marked man and ultimately led to a downward spiral for the team captain.

Marbury would finish the 2004-05 season with stellar averages of 21.7 ppg, 8.1 apg & 1.49 spg, however the Knicks would fail to qualify for the playoffs. Although there was never a question about Marbury's talent, concerns about his ability to lead teams to victory were ever mounting. Despite his all-world ability, Marbury's teams either failed to make the playoffs or were unceremoniously bounced out in the opening round. Making matters worse was the startling fact that every team he left saw their fortunes improve considerably following his departure.

In some respect, Marbury's lack of success in New York can be attributed to Thomas' constant tinkering. In 5 seasons as a Knick, Marbury has played for 5 head coaches and lined up with countless teammates. Thomas' decision to hire Larry Brown in 2005 was a utter disaster that turned Marbury into a malcontent. Considering Brown & Marbury failed to see eye-to-eye at the 2004 Olympics (which resulted in a bronze medal finish for USA Basketball), pairing the two men was one of Thomas' more destructive moves. Thomas would exacerbate matters by trading away players that Marbury thrived alongside of to import the likes of Steve Francis & Jalen Rose. Brown's usage of 42 different starting lineups during the 2005-06 season only cemented the Knicks were a team in chaos.

Marbury has had his share of highs & lows since getting his wish to come play for his hometown team. His charitable acts have been unprecedented on many levels. The series of $1M donations to the FDNY, NYPD & the Teachers Association coupled with his commitment to offering athletic apparel at a nominal price show his heart is in the right place. Unfortunately, his acts of goodwill have been overshadowed by public spats & overly bizarre behavior. After an attempt at hosting a TV show and war of words with ESPN's Steven A. Smith, Marbury's appearance on NBC's Mike'd Up revealed a startling look at the mind of the Knicks captain. Whether he was playing to the camera or inebriated, Marbury's antics were an embarrassment to the franchise. Add in his scandalous testimony during Thomas' sexual harassment trial and Marbury's legacy as a New York Knick is forever tainted.

In 5 years as a Knick, Marbury has seen the full gamut of emotions from a city desperate for a winner. Some view him as a cancer eating away at the very fabric of the organization, while others see him as victim of circumstance. Marbury has clearly benefited from the fame & fortune of being a top flight athlete, but has yet to reap the rewards of team success. For all his physical gifts, Marbury's mental approach to the game has hindered him at so many levels. Starting with his desire to part ways with Kevin Garnett to scribbling "all alone" on his sneakers as a member of the Nets, Marbury has always struggled to focus on the big picture.

Stephon Marbury's dream of playing in The Garden has sadly become a personal nightmare of sorts. The cavalcade of teammates and coaches coupled with the soap opera headlines and mounting losses have taken their toll on him. Add in the death of his father - who listened to his son being serenaded with boos from the Garden faithful just before passing away - and the Marbury saga takes on a whole new meaning.

As the 2008-09 season approaches, the possibility of Marbury being introduced as the starting Knicks point guard is highly unlikely. With Walsh's signing of Chris Duhon & Anthony Roberson, the handwriting is clearly on the wall. Factor in D'Antoni's "ti piace Marbury?" quote to an Italian beat writer and Starbury is clearly not wanted by the current administration. Coming off a season in which he only appeared in 24 games, the final year on Marbury's contract could very well be his last in the NBA. If this is indeed Marbury's swan song, his Knicks career will be remembered for all the wrong reasons.

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