Stephon Marbury wants Kobe Bryant to play in China

Stephon Marbury, star of the Beijing Ducks, thinks Kobe Bryant would be a massive sensation if he played in China.

Kobe Bryant might not be retiring from basketball after all – at least not if Stephon Marbury gets his way.

The former league All-Star has carved out a successful post-NBA career for himself overseas, playing for three different teams in the Chinese Basketball Association over the past five years. Marbury has led his current team, the Beijing Ducks, to three championships over the past four seasons.

But as great as his Chinese playing career has gone thus far, Marbury thinks Bryant could have a far more impressive impact should he decide to bring his talents to Asia.

"“They love him here,” Marbury told reporters. “It is a little bit past love. It would be like the biggest thing ever in basketball here. It would be beyond huge. Beyond big. I would definitely encourage it…They love basketball here. You can’t control the excitement.”"

Indeed, the Chinese certainly do love their basketball, and they revere their stars. Marbury has his own statue in Beijing, and a museum commemorating his accomplishments is due to open soon. Kobe is already a superstar in Chinese folklore, with a statue of his own standing guard outside a Chinese fine arts academy. And when he announced his retirement, even some Chinese schoolchildren got in on celebrating the Black Mamba’s NBA career with a snowy art design.

Bryant has remained steadfast that he has no intentions to play professionally after hanging up his Lakers sneakers, but maybe Marbury – and the prospect of becoming a virtual basketball god – will make him change his mind.