(XINHUA)

Stephon Marbury, a former NBA guard, led the Beijing Jinyu Ducks, a basketball team based in Beijing, to their first-ever championship of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league on March 30. Marbury was widely praised by his teammates and the coach for his great performance this season.

Marbury lifted the team with 41 points and 7 assists in the final in which Beijing beat Guangdong Hongyuan 124-121. Beijing won the CBA championship series 4 games to 1. Beijing's rival Guangdong has been crowned champion seven times in the past eight seasons.

"I kept my promise. When I first came to China, I promised that I would win a CBA championship. I have a different life in China, and I cherish this opportunity. I will retire in China, and I'm still playing basketball," said Marbury.

Marbury, 35, was born in New York City and played in the NBA from 1996 to 2009, with the Minnesota Timberwolves, New Jersey Nets, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks and Boston Celtics. He was an NBA All-Star in 2001 and 2003. In January 2010, Marbury joined the Shanxi Zhongyu Brave Dragons of the CBA. And he left the team in December 2010 to join the Foshan Dralions. He joined the Beijing Jinyu Ducks in 2011.

Chinese audiences have said Marbury should be selected as this year's MVP, but the CBA MVP must be Chinese, according to present regulations. Besides his great career success, Marbury is also committed to charity in China.