THE U.S. National Basketball Association (NBA) has been celebrating Kobe Bryant since his announcement last month that he is retiring after this season – his 20th in the league. But former NBA player Stephon Marbury says China’s basketball fans would far exceed the adulation Bryant is receiving in the NBA if he were to wrap up his career in the Chinese Basketball Association.

    “They love him here. It is a little bit past love. It would be like the biggest thing ever in basketball here,” Marbury told Yahoo Sports in a recent phone interview. “It would be beyond huge. Beyond big.

    “They love basketball here. You can’t control the excitement.”

    Marbury and Bryant are the only two members of the storied 1996 NBA draft class – which included Allen Iverson, Ray Allen, Peja Stojakovic, Steve Nash, Jermaine O’Neal, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Derek Fisher – who are still playing professionally. Bryant regularly takes off-season promotional trips to China and was the most popular member of the gold-medal-winning U.S. team at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

    Marbury was a two-time NBA All-Star who played 13 seasons after being selected fourth overall in 1996. He has found greater success in China, winning three titles since arriving in 2010.

    With games only Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and no back-to-backs, Marbury believes Bryant could be effective playing in China and would enjoy the overall experience.

    Considering how hugely popular Marbury is in China, it would be interesting to see how Bryant would be received.

    There is a Marbury statue in front of an arena in Beijing. There was a play based on his life, starring himself. Countless Marbury sneakers have been sold. There was a postage stamp made in his honor. A Marbury museum is also scheduled to open – a first for an athlete in Beijing, just blocks from Tiananmen Square. (SD-Agencies)