Stephon Marbury: Enigma, Head Case, Philanthropist

Stephon Marbury reportedly duked it out with his coach on a team flight and later blackmailed that same coach after he had been removed from the starting lineup. He chose to undergo season-ending surgery his team had determined to be unnecessary. He had one of the most respected coaches in history fired—I'm talking about Larry Brown, not Isaiah Thomas, in case you were wondering—just one season into a five-year deal worth more than $50 million. He has also fired both of the agents he's had, and now rolls alone in that department. And when his team had only eight players available for a recent game, he refused to play despite his $21.9 million salary. Yet he has somehow managed to make The Sporting News ' list of "Good Guys in Sports" three times. Allow me to introduce Stephon Marbury—enigma, head case, philanthropist. Sure, he has made himself so unwanted that his team would rather eat his mammoth contract than let him play. But believe it or not, off the court he is ... (link)