Stephon Marbury Says LeBron James Didn't Earn The Olympic MVP

Zachary Draves | Aug 13, 2024

Stephon Marbury with the Knicks in 2008. Xxx Knicks Rd388 Jpg S Bkn Usa Ny / Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY

LeBron James was named the Olympics MVP after the U.S. team won the gold medal in Paris.

It is an honor bestowed upon the most worthy player, but not according to former NBA All-Star Stephon Marbury.

Marbury made his thoughts very clear.

"I get LeBron is the King to many, but let me say this: when you give him what he doesn’t deserve, you basically say that because of what he’s done, he should receive such a high honor on the biggest stage. No, he didn’t earn it this time," he said.

Essentially Marbury is claiming James only got the award because of who he is and not necessarily for what he did.

Over the course of the Olympics, James averaged14.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.3 steals. He finished with14 points, six rebounds, 10 assists and two steals in the gold medal game against France.

Marbury played in the 2004 Athens Olympics as part of the notorious U.S. team that won the bronze medal. He averaged 10.5 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists.

He and James have a complicated history. In 2020, Marbury criticized James for his tribute to Kobe Bryant and calling him "not a real Laker". Two years later, he blamed James for Russell Westrbook's struggles.

After the gold medal game, James was seen dapping Carmelo Anthony courtside. Marbury was sitting right next to him, but James didn't acknowledge him.

Zachary Draves is a contributor to Back In the Day Hoops On SI. He can be reached at zdraves1013@gmail.com and on Instagram @zdraves0633.

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