The City of Beijing is set to grant former NBA player Stephon Marbury a Chinese "green card, making him the first foreign player in the CBA's history to earn the status.

According to China Daily, the 38-year-old American left his motherland and a $20 million dollar NBA contract in 2010 to play pro basketball in China. Marbury has led the Beijing Ducks to three Chinese basketball league championships and was voted the CBA finals MVP in March.

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"It's a high honor to be the only foreigner playing in the CBA to be granted the card. I've already embraced the city (as my home). "It just added more of the legality part to be able to do investments, and to bring business here legitimately, and then to buy a house, and to buy a car, to do all little different things in Beijing. It's pretty cool to be able to do that in a country where it's not allowed by many, you know to be the first basketball player to receive it. That's a historical moment," the CBA star said.

Marbury was named honorary citizen of Beijing for his undeniable popularity in his adopted hometown. He has his own statue outside the team's home court according to a Global Times report.

Stephon Marbury also known as "Starbury" entered the NBA alongside Kobe Bryant in the 1996 draft batch which includes Allen Iverson, Ray Allen, Peja Stojakovic, Steve Nash, Jarmaine O'Neal, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Derek Fisher.

Marbury is the 1996 NBA Draft 4^th over-all pick selected by the Milwaukee Bucks but was traded shortly to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He played college basketball with Georgia Institute of Technology.

He was a two-time NBA all-star, fitting in 2001 and 2003. In year 2000 and 2003, Marbury was a member of All-NBA Third Team. He was also included in the 1997 NBA All-Rookie First Team.

He also previously played for New Jersey Nets, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks and Boston Celtics in the NBA. Marbury is currently playing for the Beijing Ducks in the CBA.

Tagschinese basketball association, starbury, Chinese Green Card, steve nash, allen iverson