arthurracoon
The Cardinal Smiles
http://www.nba.com/suns/news/marbury_bdssp_030806.html
Best Damn Sports Show Period: Why did you go to Georgia Tech?
Stephon Marbury: I went to Georgia Tech because I felt like I was going to go to the NBA. Period. The track record from all of the guards that went there, Kenny (Anderson), Travis Best, Mark Price, the list just went on for decades. For myself, it was an easy decision.
BDSSP: Why did you not go directly to the NBA from high school?
Marbury: I wanted to have fun. I wanted to get my body adjusted to playing against physical contact. As a point guard, it’s a lot harder than guys like LeBron and Carmello Anthony. It’s a little bit different for them. When you’re playing the point guard position, you have to know the game in and out because it’s so hard. I didn’t want to go from high school to the NBA and learn on the job. By you (John Salley) playing for coach (Gary) Cremmins, you know how mentally challenging he is. For myself, I needed that. I needed that extra boost.
BDSSP: Do you think LeBron James will make it this season?
Marbury: I think he’s going to have his ups and downs, but it’s the NBA. He’s not playing against 135-pound players anymore. Now he’s playing against 250, 280, 275, guys like 220 and just as fast as him, as quick as him and jump just as high as him. He’s going to be playing those types of guys every day with unbelievable talent.
BDSSP: Will players have it out for him?
Marbury: Oh, for sure. Every night, someone’s going to be going at his head. He knows that though. I think he’s well aware of that, just playing in the summer leagues. Guys are going to go at him.
BDSSP: Do you feel you earned respect from your peers with your play last season?
Marbury: I just think when you win, people see you in a totally different light. I’ve been doing pretty much the same things that I’ve always done in the NBA. I think my peers can honestly say that, guys that I’ve played against. When you’re winning, you’re viewed totally different. Winning breeds character and losing exposes character, and in my situation, I just had some bad breaks. Coming into the NBA and winning right away, it allowed me to have two totally different tastes in my mouth, from winning and then losing, and I really enjoyed winning.
BDSSP: With all the movement in the league this summer, particularly in the West, are you concerned that the Suns did not make any moves?
Marbury: We stayed still because we got two really good rookies. I think our bench will definitely be a lot stronger with those two guys. I think with Penny working out, he’s totally different. He’s not the same player that people are going to expect next year. He’s on a whole other plane. His body, he trained totally different. Joe Johnson’s going to be better, Amaré’s going to be better. We were a young team and we’re still going to be young next year, but we’re going to have a little bit more experience. So it’s going to be a lot easier for us to go out and play together, as opposed to last year when we were pretty much just trying to find ourselves.
BDSSP: I want to read to you what your Head Coach Frank Johnson actually said recently...
“Everybody’s trying to make improvements to keep pace with the Lakers. But I’m not sure you can keep pace with them. If Shaq comes back in shape, it really doesn’t matter what everybody else does.”
Marbury: Shaquille O’Neal is definitely a guy who you build your future around.
BDSSP: But he’s just basically saying, "it doesn’t matter what the rest of us do in the league if the big fella’s healthy." That’s not much of an attitude.
Marbury: No it’s not, but that’s reality. You know, when it rains you’re going to get wet (laughter and applause). Shaquille O’Neal is a monster. When he’s in shape, he’s just playing (all) out and it’s ridiculous.
BDSSP: With the moves the Timberwolves have made this summer, do you have any regrets in leaving Minnesota?
Marbury: To me, a regret is like cancer. All of the things I went through in my life made me who I am today. When I look back at playing in Minnesota and playing in New Jersey, I’m happy that I’ve had that experience. Like I said, I enjoyed playing on a winning team playing with Minnesota my first few years, but going to New Jersey, that’s how I thought it was going to be. That’s how I thought life was. Even getting traded from New Jersey to Phoenix, I thought the grass would be a lot greener and then we don’t make it to the playoffs and everything went on my shoulders. I had to look myself in the mirror and say, “You’ve got to change.” I had to change somewhere. That helped me mentally, it helped my game, it helped everything. As a person, it did so many different things. It opened my eyes. I’m happy for the experiences I’ve had. I have no regrets from that.
Best Damn Sports Show Period: Why did you go to Georgia Tech?
Stephon Marbury: I went to Georgia Tech because I felt like I was going to go to the NBA. Period. The track record from all of the guards that went there, Kenny (Anderson), Travis Best, Mark Price, the list just went on for decades. For myself, it was an easy decision.
BDSSP: Why did you not go directly to the NBA from high school?
Marbury: I wanted to have fun. I wanted to get my body adjusted to playing against physical contact. As a point guard, it’s a lot harder than guys like LeBron and Carmello Anthony. It’s a little bit different for them. When you’re playing the point guard position, you have to know the game in and out because it’s so hard. I didn’t want to go from high school to the NBA and learn on the job. By you (John Salley) playing for coach (Gary) Cremmins, you know how mentally challenging he is. For myself, I needed that. I needed that extra boost.
BDSSP: Do you think LeBron James will make it this season?
Marbury: I think he’s going to have his ups and downs, but it’s the NBA. He’s not playing against 135-pound players anymore. Now he’s playing against 250, 280, 275, guys like 220 and just as fast as him, as quick as him and jump just as high as him. He’s going to be playing those types of guys every day with unbelievable talent.
BDSSP: Will players have it out for him?
Marbury: Oh, for sure. Every night, someone’s going to be going at his head. He knows that though. I think he’s well aware of that, just playing in the summer leagues. Guys are going to go at him.
BDSSP: Do you feel you earned respect from your peers with your play last season?
Marbury: I just think when you win, people see you in a totally different light. I’ve been doing pretty much the same things that I’ve always done in the NBA. I think my peers can honestly say that, guys that I’ve played against. When you’re winning, you’re viewed totally different. Winning breeds character and losing exposes character, and in my situation, I just had some bad breaks. Coming into the NBA and winning right away, it allowed me to have two totally different tastes in my mouth, from winning and then losing, and I really enjoyed winning.
BDSSP: With all the movement in the league this summer, particularly in the West, are you concerned that the Suns did not make any moves?
Marbury: We stayed still because we got two really good rookies. I think our bench will definitely be a lot stronger with those two guys. I think with Penny working out, he’s totally different. He’s not the same player that people are going to expect next year. He’s on a whole other plane. His body, he trained totally different. Joe Johnson’s going to be better, Amaré’s going to be better. We were a young team and we’re still going to be young next year, but we’re going to have a little bit more experience. So it’s going to be a lot easier for us to go out and play together, as opposed to last year when we were pretty much just trying to find ourselves.
BDSSP: I want to read to you what your Head Coach Frank Johnson actually said recently...
“Everybody’s trying to make improvements to keep pace with the Lakers. But I’m not sure you can keep pace with them. If Shaq comes back in shape, it really doesn’t matter what everybody else does.”
Marbury: Shaquille O’Neal is definitely a guy who you build your future around.
BDSSP: But he’s just basically saying, "it doesn’t matter what the rest of us do in the league if the big fella’s healthy." That’s not much of an attitude.
Marbury: No it’s not, but that’s reality. You know, when it rains you’re going to get wet (laughter and applause). Shaquille O’Neal is a monster. When he’s in shape, he’s just playing (all) out and it’s ridiculous.
BDSSP: With the moves the Timberwolves have made this summer, do you have any regrets in leaving Minnesota?
Marbury: To me, a regret is like cancer. All of the things I went through in my life made me who I am today. When I look back at playing in Minnesota and playing in New Jersey, I’m happy that I’ve had that experience. Like I said, I enjoyed playing on a winning team playing with Minnesota my first few years, but going to New Jersey, that’s how I thought it was going to be. That’s how I thought life was. Even getting traded from New Jersey to Phoenix, I thought the grass would be a lot greener and then we don’t make it to the playoffs and everything went on my shoulders. I had to look myself in the mirror and say, “You’ve got to change.” I had to change somewhere. That helped me mentally, it helped my game, it helped everything. As a person, it did so many different things. It opened my eyes. I’m happy for the experiences I’ve had. I have no regrets from that.
