Hall of Fame Demand Doesn’t Stop With Carmelo Anthony as Ex-Knicks Star Remains Without Honor

“My numbers are Hall of Fame. That’s it,” the 48-year-old once told SI Now, straight-faced, no hesitation. And honestly? He’s not wrong. Now that the Class of 2025 is on the horizon—headlined by big names like Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard—the Hall of Fame conversation is heating up again. But for every player getting their flowers, there’s always the other side: the legends still waiting for their call. Stephon Marbury is one of them. And he’s not shy about saying what many fans and fellow players already believe—that his career, numbers, and legacy belong right there in Springfield.

Stephon Marbury’s NBA days wrapped up back in the 2008–09 season. Over 13 years in the league, he put up some seriously strong numbers—19.3 points and 7.6 assists per game—with stops on over 5 teams, including the Knicks. He even made two All-Star teams along the way. But that wasn’t the end of his story—not even close. Marbury took his talents to China and became a full-on legend in the CBA, spending nine seasons there and turning into something of a national hero. Seriously. But in 2017, things hit a bump. The Beijing Ducks, the team he led to so much success, ended his contract after a disagreement over his role and salary. Still, his legacy? Global.

If you ask Channing Frye, there’s no doubt in his mind—Stephon Marbury, with whom he played on the Knicks from 2004 to 2006, belongs in the Hall of Fame. And not just for what he did in the NBA, but for what he meant to the game globally. On The Dan Patrick Show, Frye made it plain: “I think—this is crazy—I think Stephon Marbury needs to be in the Hall of Fame. The real Hall of Fame. Like, I think Stephon Marbury’s impact on basketball globally… he’s one of the best guards I have ever played.” You could hear the respect in his voice—it wasn’t just about the stats; it was about the influence and the culture he brought to the game.

But then came the curveball—who’s more talented: Marbury or Kyrie Irving? And suddenly, Frye was caught. You could feel him spinning through the Rolodex of highlight reels in his head. “Oh, that’s a great question,” he said, stuttering a bit, caught between two insanely gifted players. After some back-and-forth, he leaned toward Kyrie—“not skill, it’s talent,” he clarified. “

Kyrie is just an absolute crazy man when it comes to basketball… people say he doesn’t know what move he’s going to do until you move your foot.” Still, even with all the praise he gave Kyrie, Frye couldn’t shake his bias—his heart was with Steph. “I want to say Steph because he has more hops… Steph, because athletically…” It was messy, honest, and said it all.

According to Basketball Reference, Marbury holds a 0.0699% probability of making it to the Hall of Fame, as of 2024. “That’s what it comes down to and what you’ve done,” Marbury had said in 2017. “My mark on basketball globally is beyond – it’s never been done before. Something that’s never been done before obviously, you have to show homage to that.” 

And yes, that is one thing the basketball community is hoping turns into a reality soon.

Stephon Marbury gets his flowers from fellow NBA stars

If there’s one thing that’s becoming crystal clear lately, it’s that a bunch of basketball legends think Stephon Marbury deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame. Leading the charge? None other than Isiah Thomas. “Let me say this about Stephon Marbury right, and I’m speaking as a Hall of Famer. Stephon Marbury should be in the Hall of Fame,” Zeke said. “He’s impacted basketball in the United States of America… but then he goes over to China, and he’s impacted basketball in China.” And that’s really the heart of the case—Marbury wasn’t just an NBA star, he became a cultural icon overseas.

Carmelo Anthony is also on board. On his 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, he looked Marbury in the eye and said, “Isiah Thomas recently made a statement that he feels like you deserve to be in the Hall of Fame; I agree. I think we all know what you’ve done for the game here. I think you don’t get enough credit for what you’ve done for the game globally, connecting those dots and building those bridges.”

Even Shaquille O’Neal threw his full weight behind the campaign. He recalled how stunned he was during a visit to China when he saw Marbury’s statue—a massive one, by the way—and then remembered how Allen Iverson once told him, without hesitation, that the one player who scared him was Marbury. “So, Stephon Marbury should definitely be in the Hall of Fame,” Shaq added, “’cause he was a bad m———- (who) shut your mouth.”

And here’s the thing—Marbury’s not out here begging for votes. He’s standing in quiet confidence, backed by the respect of some of the game’s greatest. “When a Hall of Famer (Isiah Thomas) says you deserve to get in, that’s one of the highest praises,” he said.

From high school phenom to a cultural legend in China, his legacy clearly reaches far beyond the box score—and the people who’ve been there know it.

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