"Steph got it done his whole career" - Rod Strickland advocates for Stephon Marbury's Hall of Fame induction
Rod Strickland, Stephon Marbury
© Jeffrey Swinger, Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Undeniably, the greatest point guards of all time can be divided into tiers. They could be broken down into stars, superstars, and Hall of Famers. Depending on whom you ask, Stephon Marbury could either be in any of it. But for Rod Strickland, “Starbury” is way up there in the Hall of Fame.
Starbury wasn’t just a star
Strickland reached his peak in the 90s and played against some of the best point guards that ever graced the basketball court. John Stockton, Gary Payton, Tim Hardaway, you name it, “Hot Rod” had a piece of all of them.
Some say Strickland should’ve been getting the same credit as the aforementioned legendary PGs. But the man in question is fine with people's perception of him as he knows what he was capable of doing back then.
However, one peer Strickland thinks should be glorified more is his fellow New York native, Marbury.
“Steph, to me, is like one of the most dangerous guards from New York. Just physically strong, with a killer mentality. A guy you always had to worry about,” Strickland told Andscape. “He was a problem for me because he could match my speed, my physicality. He was the total package and I knew that each time I played against Steph, I knew I had to get my rest.”
Recommended Articles
Having witnessed “Starbury” make great strides from Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn to Georgia Tech to the NBA, and even overseas, Strickland is certain Marbury should’ve been a Hall of Famer by now.
“Steph got it done his whole career. Just look at what he did in high school, college, his pro numbers, and all he did in China. For all that he accomplished, Steph should be in the Hall of Fame,” he added.
They say the same thing
If Strickland’s testimonial wasn’t enough, for what it’s worth, perhaps the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame panels should hear more about Marbury’s greatness.
“Steph could flat-out score, and he was strong and he could get to the basket. And Steph had an assh--e streak in him that you've gotta have. Oh, he had it in him. The great ones gotta have that in them,” former Minnesota Timberwolves forward Sam Mitchell said.
“Just that speed and strength with it, and when he drives to the basket, even if you are with him a little bit, he would throw that elbow to get by you. He was a lot of trouble,” NBA Hall of Famer Allen Iverson said of Marbury.
Marbury’s case for being a Hall of Famer is indeed an intriguing subject. But whether he gets inducted or not, “Starbury” has already made his mark on the people who witnessed his game firsthand.
