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Obviously LeBron James rise to fame and riches has allowed him to forget about where he comes from. Isn't this the same LeBron James that grew up in poverty in Akron, OH? What Marbury is doing is starting a cultural revolution. He's trying to change the game so that kids don't feel left out if they don't have a pair of $150 shoes. If LeBron wanted to be the man to be a real global icon, he would look to be something more than a puppet for Nike and become a leader like Marbury and step out and do something different that would actually aid the people that come from backgrounds similar to his own.


What a stupid thing to write. every other player has done the same thing, you must be a knicks fan. Dissin' LeBron seems to be the thing. The shoes have been like this since way way back.

Marbury gets a piece of the profits from every Starbury shoe that is sold.
Marbury who??? lmao

pulease this post is a waste of time. Get a life!

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I Purchased a pair of the Starburys and they look just like a $150 and when i tell people how much they are amazed. They are comfy and serve its purpose.Mind you that i am going to be 38 in two weeks but love my sneakers. So think he is doing the right thing and others should follow suit. James is building a house the size of a football field and he can thank all the kids and parents that allowed him to do so. So much for modesty these days.

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I love Nike and I have have the new Lebron's in all black. I'm 27 years old and extreamly loyal to nike and the "elite" footwear they provide. Not sure if its right, but I have been brainwashed as a child with there supream target marking of nike ... You will never catch me in a strarberry anything ...

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I gained a lot of respect for Marbury with that answer. I'm sure he's been saying that for years, but props for whipping out that quip at the perfect time in the perfect context.

Plus, Nikes are made for pennies a piece by sweatshop workers and brown kids far, far away from Clevland. The only reason those shoes cost so much is to pay the $70 million plus to Lebron, Kobe, Wade and other company shills earn to keep the brand credible.

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Wow, I am going to buy a pair just to support the concept.

In '79 all the other kids had a $40 pair of cheaply made Nike Cortez's and made fun of me because my folks couldn't afford them, 90% of the kids in my middle school owned a pair. We really didn't have the money, we were barely holding on but I couldn't see through my need to belong. I begged and pleaded and begged some more until I finally got a pair. My mom probably worked three or four extra shifts waiting tables at a cheap diner to pay for them and after I finally got them, I found out what I wore on my feet didn't really change anything, they were crappy, cheaply shoes that fell apart before I really even broke them in and I felt bad for making our whole family go without to afford them for me.

I appreciate what Stephon is doing, that is a breath of fresh air. These companies marketing techniques cut far deeper than most people realize, making 12 year olds feel poorly about themselves because of the shoe they wear is horrible.

Stories about kids killing each other for a pair of Pumas back in the day rang true, whether intentional or not, you have the feeling at that age that if you don't have this or that product, you simply aren't worth much and intentional or not, it is wrong. Companies that market to kids know this and take advantage of it.

Thank you again Stephon.

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I found more similiar discussions at tallfriends.com. All members there are NBA fans.

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haters; the point isnt because of who marbury is. its just the point in general.

the shoes a 15 bucks and they work well. probably made for the same price as lebrons 150 dollar shoe.

thats the point. affordable shoes for people who like to hoop but cant drop 150 on shoes.

i am not a marbury fan, but this NEEDED to happen and i am glad it did

scott

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Parenting is the only issue here. Who cares how much the shoes cost or who endorses them. Good parents teach there children that stuff like that doesn't matter and help them to understand when items are out of there financial reach. Now Im a 23yo homeowner, and I buy myself what ever I want no matter the price, because my parents taught me that if I wanted something I had to work hard for it. I buy things because I like them and not because it is expensive or popular. Improve your parenting skills don't get mad at Lebron for making 90 million and changing. If I became a millionaire I would put my efforts toward empowering or youth to make good decisions, and not cheap shoes.

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Wow! I suppose everyone should be upset at Lebron and Nike for the truth. I mean, speculation has it that Nike's are made by little kids in sweat shops with skin peeling off. If that's true, it makes the fact that regardless of the manufacturing method, Nike highly overprices its shoes compared to what it cost to make them.

In our capitalist society, I can't blame Lebron for jumping on that $90 million dollar contract. Yet, I commend Marbury for doing what he's doing. I tell you what. I'm bout to go cop me a pair of them Starbury's today. And i'm gonna cop the Big Ben's when they come out on the Starbury line.

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i think that marbury is doin a good thing to sell those cheap ass shoes... lebron is just all about money and would be buyin them starburys if he wasnt playin basketball

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No one's condemning LeBron for taking the giant Nike contract. The issue is that he made an unnecessary, arrogant comment when he could have just as easily made a neutral or positive comment. He really is deluded by the greatness of his wealth and status. "We hold our standards high." What, other than price, was he referring to? I'd really like to know. Higher advertising costs? More slow-mo melodramatic commercials? More phallic logo?

Btw, it's not simply an issue of values instilled by the parents. This whole story, Starbury vs Nike, etc, exposes some crappy byproducts of our hyper-consumer society. It's hard to de-program teens who have been taught to identify through brand names since early childhood. "No Logo" by Naomi Klein is a really good starting place for discussions on branding and its effects.

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Im SURE I speak for MILLIONS of Moms Past & Present
Stephon Marberry
THANK YOU THANKYOU THANKYOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You ARE a STAR >> Stephon Marberry !!!!!

GOD BLESS YOU for having the courage to say ENOUGH !
GOD BLESS your Mom for saying NO years ago and raising you to be a Respectable STAR not only on the Courts but in LIFE !!!! " Star Mom " xxo
And Thankyou 20/20 for bringing this the attention it deserves !!!
I could go on about being a single mother of a Son during the " Jordan" years :-( He didnt get them not only for finacial reasons but like SM's Mom it was a Values and PRIORITIES Lesson as well ! However,Im sitting here in tears YEARS after the fact just THINKING what a NIGHTMARE "sneaker shopping" was for me and Visually other Parents in the store with the same issues :/
I wish you and your family THE BEST LIFE HAS TO OFFER Stephon Marberry !!! I will ALWAYS support WHATEVER team you play on !! Im in AWE that you not only did this but WEAR these sneakers on the court !
To Many,this might seem like not a big deal,but

IT IS A BIG DEAL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can only hope that this is a start of The END of
"FU and pay me" Generation :( These Men,Athletes,Stars,etc,.. ESPECIALLY the ones who grew up not having all the advantages,better THANK THE LORD for what they have and start to GIVE BACK their blessings as You have !!!!
If I could raise ONE DOLLAR from Every Parent who's going or gone through this..........
The Sunday sports page would Have ON THE FRONT,
a Picture and article on this REAL SPORTS HERO !

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OMG OMG OMG My HEARTFELT Appology !!!
The Correct name in my comment is
" Stephon MARBURY "
And I Stand by my comment an INSIST that even if Marbury was offered a Boatlaod of cash to sell $150,he would DECLINE ! And THATS why he will continue to SUCEED and EXCEL at WHATEVER he chooses if Life ! God bless

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That is very true.
It's not about the money for Stephon.
Many people also fail to realize that he WAS the only NBA player to donate $1million dollars of his own money to help victims in Hurricane Katrina.

While other players who make millions a year including Kobe, Shaq, Garnett, Lebron - none of them couldn't care less that 95% of those victims were their black brothers and sisters who lost everything....EXCEPT STEPH!

God will definitely bless this man.

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That is very true.
It's not about the money for Stephon.
Many people also fail to realize that he WAS the only NBA player to donate $1million dollars of his own money to help victims in Hurricane Katrina.

While other players who make millions a year including Kobe, Shaq, Garnett, Lebron - none of them couldn't care less that 95% of those victims were their black brothers and sisters who lost everything....EXCEPT STEPH!

God will definitely bless this man.

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To TrinStarr
Thanks for the additional info on Stephon :)
1 Million of his OWN money toward Katrina victims ? I BELEIVE that !!! :)
And YES, God will definatley bless this man,his family,and family to come !!

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Listen, this is no suprise.. Marbury has always given back to his community. The Starburys that were talking about could easily sell for 80 bucks. Thats why is such a good deed what Stephon . Now as for Lebron, I'm not going to knock him for endorsing Nike but I will for his comments.. the guy is obviously talking out of his ass and deserves any static that he recieves from his comments.. Jordans shoes cost just as much, the only difference is that Michael has a brain and Lebron dosen't(Maybe that has do w/Lebron electing not 2 go 2 college), if he dosen't make those comments then the issue @ hand would've never come up!

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This situation speaks out to a whole bunch of people. Especially mothers. I should emphasize on the "especially mothers" statement, but I will get to that, eventually.

I know that Shaq came out with his affordable sneakers. No one made a big deal about it. It was just a "get-sneakers-for-a-low-price" kind of thing. People of poverty benefitted from this merchandise. I'm not sayin' I'm poor. But I copped me a pair. No biggie, right? Now, why is it that when Stephon Marbury launches his new cheap sneakers, EVERYBODY is hype. I can give you a logical reason: Shaq has more fame, and he is a back-to-back all-star. Others may disagree with this; some may say that it is because Marbury's Starburys hit only $14.98, and that at least Shaquille hit 30 bucks. But I truly believe I am right.

For instance:

If you went to foot locker and saw a pair of good lookin' Jordan's... you cop 'em right away even if they were 25 bucks, right?
Ok, now say if Boris Diaw launched his sneakers for a lower price, you all would rather go for the Jordans because... HELLO!!! Ding! Dong! ... ...

It's Legend, Micheal Jordan we're talkin' about. I like both LeBron James AND Stephon Marbury (and Diaw), so don't get me wrong; they're really good players and are great assets to their team. But if you're walking on the street one day, and you decide to go to the park, you'd most likely kids rockin' the LBJ kicks than a pair of Starburys.

It's all about popularity.

Also, I'm so glad that S. Marbury decided to launch sneakers for $15, even if it is only 10% of James' kicks. I even decided to get both athletes sneakers by the end of next month.

Mothers are really happy with Stephon's idea right now. But in time (for the parents in poverty) they will realize that their childrens' sneakers are being in closets for days because of pier pressure and popularity issues in school.

Seriously folks, I'm being real with you all. If your son walked in a well financed school with a pair of Shaq's on while the others have on the newest Nikes, he'll be coming home in tears.

I like the fact that Marbury actually made the decision to sell Starburys for $14.98. Do you think that it would be a big deal if they were for 65 bucks?

[But to cut a long comment into a short one;

If you can afford a pair of LeBron James sneakers, get them for your kids. If you can't, get another pair of decent sneakers for only 10% of L. James $150 sneakers ($15).]

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lol Marbury called Lebron James A SLAVE

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LMAO Stephon Marbury called Lebron James A SLAVE

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