Marbury opts for final season with Beijing Fly Dragons

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Former NBA All-Star Stephon Marbury said Wednesday he is headed back to Beijing for one final pro season, but will not be playing for the same Chinese Basketball Association squad.

Marbury announced in an Instagram post that he will play next season for the Beijing Fly Dragons after playing from 2011 through earlier this year with the Beijing Ducks.

"I'm staying in Beijing for my last and final season. The other Beijing team," Marbury wrote on Instagram beside a photo of himself and the Fly Dragons logo.

"I have to put on for the city no matter the team. It's a different mission and vision over here in the JING. The fans said stay so I'm staying. They said, 'we will love you no matter where you go' It's hard to leave that type of love."

Stephon Marbury meets with teammates from Beijing Fly Dragon. /Photo via Tencent Sports‍

The 40-year-old point guard began his NBA career with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1996, taken fourth overall by Milwaukee but swapped to the T-Wolves for the rights to the player taken after him, Ray Allen.

"Starbury" was an NBA All-Star for the New Jersey Nets in 2001 and Phoenix Suns in 2003 before joining his hometown New York Knicks from 2004-2009.

In 2010, Marbury jumped to the Chinese Basketball Association, playing for Shanxi and Foshan before settling in with the Ducks and sparking them to CBA crowns in 2012, 2014 and 2015 before parting ways with the club last April.

(Source: AFP)