Original subtitles

[Donald] Go, Steph.

Ha! Come on!

[shoes squeaking]

[Donald grunting]

[groans]

[Donald] Nice, yeah!

[shoes squeaking]

-[Donald] Ha! -[Stephon] Get it on.

Ha!

Come on! Ha!

[Donald grunts]

Argh!

[grunts]

[Donald] Just remember. Think.

Always think

before your actions.

Yes, sir.

-Come on, what you got? -[Stephon] Skills.

-What you need? -Practice.

-How do you play? -With your head.

-And? -With your heart.

All right. What's the most important thing out there?

-Team. -How do you win?

-Be better than your opponent. -And?

-Be better than me. -What?

-Better today than yesterday. -What?

-Better tomorrow than today. -Okay.

What makes a good leader?

Making your teammates better.

-What makes a great leader? -Someone who inspires them.

What's a leader without a team?

-Huh? Ha! -Nothing.

[Stephon] Growing up in Brooklyn,

basketball wasn't just about three on three

or being the best in the neighborhood.

It was an escape, a lottery ticket,

a dream that could change your life,

- make you a star. -[shot clock buzzes]

But that's not the basketball my father taught me.

-Lincoln! -Lincoln!

[buzzer buzzes]

Defense! Let's go!

Defense!

[Donald] Oh! Come on!

Somebody's gotta block up in the middle!

Stephon, you gotta be a leader in there!

Focus!

Keep up your head! Come on!

Play y'all! Run the play!

Back up, back up, back up!

Double step!

[crowd] Let's go, Lincoln!

[crowd cheers]

[Stephon]Through the struggle, the hustle, and paying my dues,

I went from the courts of Coney Island

to the crowds of the NBA.

And I was ready.

With the fourth pick in the 1996 NBA Draft,

the Milwaukee Bucks select Stephon Marbury.

[Stephon] It felt like I won the lottery

that would change my family's life forever.

[announcer] He's truly living a dream

for that entire family.

It's been, uh, 20 long years.

Waited for this day.

[Stephon] And I played like I had something to prove.

[crowd cheering]

[upbeat music]

[Stephon] But none of the cities I played for

really felt like home.

The Knicks. The Garden.

The dream to play for my hometown

came true in 2004.

It all felt like the beginning of a new chapter.

But this homecoming didn't end as great as it started.

My dad loved watching me play at the Garden.

During the game in 2007

against my old team the Phoenix Suns,

he complained of chest pains and was rushed to the hospital.

He died as I continued to play,

unaware that my hero had fallen.

The team told me about my dad only after the game was over.

He was there for me my whole life

and I never even got to say goodbye.

My enthusiasm died with my hero

and it affected my play on the court.

The media, coaches, fans,

and my teammates laid blame on me

for the team's losses.

Soon, New York's favorite son became its cast-off,

and I ended up in Boston.

I was playing but my heart wasn't in it.

So, after 13 years in the NBA,

I turned my back on what was once

my ultimate dream.

Without my dad and without basketball,

my life got very dark.

I became a prisoner of my own pain.

I wondered if I could ever again

be the man my father raised on that Coney Island court.

And then, something happened.

A phone call from an unexpected place

would change everything,

and I was about to discover

that home is where you make it.

[Mabel] How's the game?

[Stephon] Mom.

Why are you walking around here like a ninja

with your knees hurting like that?

[Mabel exhales]

Are those Chinese people?

You watching Chinese basketball?

I'm just randomly looking.

You never randomly looking. Not with basketball.

What is that about?

[light music]

[scoffs]

China?

When were you gonna tell me about it?

A representative from China called me

and he asked me to come play basketball in China.

I didn't know if I was gonna tell you or not.

So show me more.

[crowd cheering]

Mmm. [chuckles]

I think you should give it a shot.

What you see?

I see you having fun among those boys.

Hey, Steph. This is Li Nan.

Li Nan, how you doing, man?

Hi. It's a pleasure meeting you.

Nice meeting you as well.

Oh, I don't like this.

Steph, this is some bullshit.

How desperate are those who choose to play in China?

[Stephon] Li Nan.

I need you to give it to me straight.

Tell me why I should consider coming to China

to play basketball

under these conditions right here?

I can sense that you want to go to a place

where not many people know about you or your past.

That way, you can quietly do what you love most.

I can assure you that

China is what you're really looking for.

I have to admit...

this is definitely very different

from what I imagined.

I'm not surprised.

But I didn't say I was gonna turn it down.

[indistinct chatter]

I'm so glad you're enjoying the food.

-Yes, I love it. -Ah, yes.

Stephanie put up for them greens, didn't you?

Wait, wait, wait. Hold up. Hold up, hold up.

You saying they don't take care of their players?

Mm-mm. I don't think so.

-I'm hearing commercial flights. -Yes.

They all tall and big. How are they gonna fit?

You know how they fit? Emergency exit seats.

-No. -What?

That's how they do their players over there.

So where do players stay when they on the road? Motel 6?

-[laughs] -[Stephon] Oh, come on, Eric.

[Mabel] Nan Li.

There you go. [chuckles]

They love him so much.

They do.

Stephon is so different from how I've imagined him.

You know, he's different from what most people imagine.

He's a good kid.

What do you think of him going to China?

Well...

I don't want him to go that far away from me

or for that long

because I know I'll miss him.

But I have a feeling that

this is the right thing for him, so...

I'm gonna support him.

And I'm hoping he gives it a try.

[Stephon] I want you to work on this move right here

while I'm gone

for the next few months.

[Stephon Jr.] Doesn't look so hard.

[Stephon] Yeah, let me see.

[Stephon Jr.] I can't do it.

Can't do it?

What you mean you can't do it?

I never taught you that word before.

Sorry, Dad.

We don't say the word, "I can't do it."

Exactly. That word doesn't exist in our vocabulary.

Daddy, Mommy wants you inside. She's upstairs packing for you.

[Stephon] Come on. Take a seat.

Y'all don't want me to go, I won't go.

I think we should let him go.

Really?

What you think about that, Stephon?

I'm really, really, really gonna miss you, Daddy.

I'm really, really, really gonna miss you too, Stephon.

And you too, Xavi.

My two little angels. I love you all so much.

[light music]

[light music continues]

[Stephon] I didn't know what to expect

but I knew I had nothing to lose.

Like Mama said,

I had to pick myself up and rebound.

Time to show my wife I was still the man she married.

I knew I could be a better dad and a role model in the future

if I could just be a better me in the present.

[waitress speaking Chinese]

-Sorry? -Uh...

Sorry, may I have your room number?

Oh. What's your room number?

1512.

-1512. -[waitress] Yes, thank you.

Thank you.

[Chen] Hi!

Hi.

I'm Chen.

Nice to meet you.

Oh, you keep it. This is for you.

My number's on the other side.

[Stephon] Nice to meet you.

Keep the phone to use in China.

My numbers already in it.

From now on, I'm gonna be sticking close to you

and I'll be looking after you.

Excuse me, Ms. Chen, but...

I'm gonna have to ask you to back off a little bit.

Back off?

That's no problem, but are you sure?

I'm sure.

Okay.

Oh, by the way, my last name isn't Chen, it's Yang.

And if you need any help with anything,

do let me know.

Yang Chen?

You're Yang Chen?

You're my manager?

[light music]

[crowd chanting] Marbury! Marbury!

[Stephon]My first year in China didn't go as I hoped.

I was out of shape,

out of step,

and out of touch with my game.

I wanted to be the famous Stephon Marbury again

but I had forgotten what my father taught me

in order to get there.

I was not a team player

and it affected my team's performance.

The Jiangsu Dragons released me eventually.

I needed a new team,

but would any of them want me?

Teams from Foshan and Beijing expressed interest,

but something about Beijing just clicked for me.

[Stephon] Li, tell me about Foshan.

Foshan won't forget last season.

They finished in last place.

-[Li Nan] Basically, they stink. -[scoffs]

They are a team full of young players

that's pretty much already forgotten.

[Stephon] But Beijing worried I lacked passion

and wasn't a team player.

[cell phone ringing]

[Li Nan] Hello?

Beijing wanna sign Steve Francis.

[Stephon] I was running out of time and options.

Tell Foshan we're coming.

[Stephon] After failing to make the playoffs

the following year,

Foshan didn't renew my contract.

Without a new team to play for, I planned to go home.

I wasn't a winner.

I wasn't even the person I wanted to be.

[Stephon] I'm ready to go home.

[Chen] No, you're not.

You just don't have a reason to stay.

[Stephon] Maybe you're right.

But what difference does it make?

Here.

You have an old friend in town. That's from him.

Who's that?

[Chen] He wants to have tea with you.

Wearing that.

He wants me to wear this?

[Allen] Like your outfit?

-[laughs] -[Stephon] Here you go.

[Allen] Look good on you, man. Fitting right in.

Man, after all these years, who would ever thought

we'd be chopping it up over a cup of tea in China, man?

Man, come on, '96 draft class.

You from Virginia, me from Brooklyn.

Straight out of the hood. Two kids. It's classic, man.

It doesn't get any better than that.

Let's toast it up.

Let's go.

[Allen] Yo, what's up with you?

Man, I'm happy you caught me when you caught me, man.

I'm about to get up outta here, man.

I'm about to leave.

-Leave? What? You don't like -[Stephon] Yeah.

-the food or somethin'? -I like the food.

You know, I dig the food.

I mean, you're not gonna find a brother like me

with chopstick handles who can go

and pick up the food like I do.

[Stephon] It has nothin' to do with the food.

It's just... it's just time for me to go, man. I'm...

I'm ready to move on.

You ready to move on

or you think you ready to move on?

I mean, I'm not too sure, but...

See that's what I'm saying, and I know you.

-You know I know you. -Mm.

You know you're at the top of your game.

You still got so much left in the tank.

At least you got the Hall of Fame

to look towards.

I don't have anything to look towards.

Man, at least you got a chance to win a championship.

Somethin' I never did.

Hell, they may mess around and make a statue of you

-or somethin' out here, man. -[snickers]

-You legendary. -Statue?

Come on, man. You know that I've come way too long.

The only person that's getting a statue

is Rocky Balboa.

That's it. There's nobody else doing that.

[slurps]

You remember the first game we played against each other?

Yeah, I dropped 23 on you.

23 on me?

Nah, you ain't dropped 23 on me, you dropped 23 on my team.

You was checking me.

Ah, man, we need to fix this.

We need to have a one-on-one game.

I tell you what, let's make a bet.

If I make it to the Hall of Fame

and they build a statue of you out here,

then you got your one-on-one.

You're still trying to dodge me, huh?

You don't wanna play that one-on-one game, huh?

All right, that's a bet.

-We can make that bet. Cool. -[Allen] All right, man.

[Stephon] If I was gonna get that one on one

with Bubba Chuck over here,

I had to get my butt to the Beijing Ducks.

Challenge accepted, AI.

[chirping]

-I want some, too. -Oh, my gosh.

[Stephon] Even though Beijing welcomed me like a family,

I didn't know if I had it in me to stay another year.

[mumbling]

Marbury.

What did he say?

It's not important.

What coach said,

you already publicly stated

you're not gonna ball in China anymore.

So what are you doing in Beijing?

Coach Zheng must have something up his sleeve, huh?

My coach wants me to tell you,

we're the champions here.

We've won six titles already.

And this season

we're gonna win our seventh championship.

And if you join us,

he's gonna wanna see you hold up that trophy.

Listen,

my coach already promised.

We'll give you the best of everything.

Think about it. We're gonna be unbeatable.

[chuckles] Unbeatable?

You guys seem to be pretty unbeatable right now.

You guys don't need me.

But you need us

to know what a real champion feels like.

You'll waste your talent.

Join Guangdong and be a real champion.

[Wang Lielin] That's something you gotta experience

yourself, bro.

[Stephon] Maybe Guangdong was right.

I wasn't exactly burning it up in China.

Playing for Guangdong gave me the best chance

at winning the trophy,

but would winning a trophy with them

make me the champion I wanted to be?

There's, uh, an ancient Chinese saying.

"For those who can't play, you open a bar."

[laughs]

Guys, come here. I have something to show you.

Come.

So the Beijing team won the championship before.

[Stephon] What year is that from?

That's so last century.

I mean, don't they have anything to be proud of now?

[in English] He was on the Beijing team before?

Wang Lielin is the team captain for Beijing team

and Coach Zheng started training him

when we was in the youth team.

Hmm. So what happened? Why did he leave?

He had a chance to go to the NBA

but Coach Zheng just wouldn't let him go.

Hey, Stephon. Do you know who that is?

Oh, yeah, that's Coach Zheng.

He looks young.

Is that his dad?

[in English] But when the son took over,

things fell apart.

Are there a lot of people that like basketball in Beijing?

A lot!

-No reason. -Reasons like what?

That's a champion team right there.

How's that a champion team?

Once a champion, the spirit never dies.

Trust me on that. I've been in one.

Which one?

[Stephon] My high school team.

I wanted a championship

but I also wanted to earn it.

It was time to bring Beijing back to glory.

[upbeat music]

I'm gonna look good in that.

[Stephon] First, I had to let my family know

that my time in China wasn't over yet.

[somber music]

[Stephon] Sorry, I'm not gonna be there for your surgery.

You know I wanna be there.

Oh, baby.

If you were here, all you'd be doing

would be dragging your feet with everybody else

just waitin' around

when you got stuff to do somewhere else.

You know something?

This morning when I prayed, I had this feeling.

I felt like that mysterious old city of hope

was just waitin' for you.

I know it was a message from God

trying to tell me that Beijing is the choice for you.

-Thank you, Momma. -Mm.

[light music]

[balls thudding]

-[Stephon] Hey, Cap, what's up? -Marbury.

[in English] New faces, huh?

[in English] Nice.

[Zhang Xiaoliang] Hi, Richardson.

[uplifting music]

[Coach Zheng in English] Number three.

[in English] Championship.

Champion.

[Li Nan] Even with you on the team,

thinking Beijing can beat Guangdong

is just delusional.

[Stephon] Very inspiring.

Very encouraging.

Believe me, bro.

Your teammates have met a lot of foreign players

that talk about a big goal like that,

and at the end,

it's always just disappointment.

The more you talk like that, [sighs]

the more they will think that you're not one of them.

A championship title...

It would be impossible to make your teammates believe in that.

And to make it a goal for this season.

They'll believe me.

Nothing is impossible.

[whistle blows]

[whistle blows]

[in English] How do you feel?

I'm all right.

[in English] Coach says you can rest today.

Oh, nah, tell coach don't worry about me, I'm all right.

[in English] Okay.

[whistle blows]

[whistle blows]

[in English] How about we stop here?

I'm okay.

What time do they finish practice?

-[Bian Shuai] Two more hours. -Two hours?

[Bian Shuai] Two practices a day.

Morning and afternoon. Two hours each.

[whistle blows]

-I'm okay with that. -[Bian Shuai] That's awesome.

We have never seen any imports

that stay this long on the first day.

They usually just train on their own and then left.

Well, if you want to win the championship,

you can't be all talk and no action.

If they can do it...

I can certainly do it, too.

Am I holding you up for training?

No. I don't really play that much in the game anyways.

I'm just a translator.

All right, well just know this,

after today, I won't be practicing by myself anymore.

We're gonna join them

and we're gonna fight with them.

Make sure you keep working hard.

[Bian Shuai] All right.

[uplifting music]

Come on, come on, come on!

[uplifting music]

Man, I haven't been in a dorm in like 20 years.

What you all do at night?

[in English] [Bian Shuai] Nothing much.

You all don't do nothing at night? For real?

Well, I've got something for y'all. Boom!

We can play this at night.

And my son, he's my teacher.

Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!

Champion, baby! Champion!

One, two, three!

Champion! Champion!

Two, three, four!

[groans] Up.

-Champion! -Champion!

[Stephon] Let's go! Let's go!

Throw it to the post! Throw it to the post!

[player grunts]

[scoffs]

[Li Nan clears throat]

[Stephon in English] I faced the team many times before

so I already know our tactics.

Our offense has to be sharp.

I'm able to create strategies

where guys will be able to get lanes.

We can set it up where the five is on the post,

the four is here, the one is here.

[in English] I come off.

I can get into the paint.

I'm gonna be able to have an open jump shot here.

[in English] [Stephon] I can shot the ball

so we can have the three-man start down,

four, five set and a stagger.

I have the ball.

Two is here.

As three comes up, four comes to the free throw line

so they can play high low.

So, this is what I had in my mind.

If we want these tactics to work,

we have to change our training methods.

[in English] I mean, we need big changes.

A complete overhaul.

[in English] Can you make a more

specific plan for us?

You want me to do it?

I know that is not your business.

No, no, no, coach, it's all right.

No coach has never asked me to do this before.

I would love to do it.

[in English] [Stephon] Three! Three! Three!

[in Chinese] Come on, come on, come on.

[in English] [Stephon] Set pick! Set pick!

Make sure you set that!

Look! Look! Look!

Woo! Woo!

[whistle blows]

[Stephon] Woo! Woo! Woo!

[Stephon] Let's go! Let's go!

[Stephon] Woo! Woo! Woo!

[whistle blowing]

[Coach Zheng] Okay?

[Stephon] Move! Move! Move!

[Stephon] Man, Beijing has all of this?

The biggest in China.

[Stephon] So why they don't use it?

Not for a team like Beijing Ducks.

Why?

Because they don't deserve to have a home court like this.

So why did you bring me here?

Sightseeing!

-Come on! Let's have a feel -Oh, my god.

of the finals!

Check!

Hey! I heard that Jiang Yi asked you

to teach him how to do the windmill dunk.

Yeah, he did.

You know what, I bet you a 100 yuan

he can't make it.

Why you gotta be so defeatist man?

Hey, he can't even do an easy dunk.

I'm just being practical.

Everyone has his own limits and dunks are his.

You know, he's a good captain.

He's giving everything to his team

but there are things that he just can't do.

Is that why you became an agent?

Admitting "can't do" so easily.

I'm sorry, man. I shouldn't have said that.

[sighs]

[Li Nan] "Impossible" is something that exists.

[exhales]

You just have to respect it.

So why did you stop playing basketball?

[inhales]

[exhales]

It has problems.

So I couldn't become an athlete.

So no matter how talented I was

or how good I became when the ball was in my hand...

[exhales]

they just wouldn't give me a chance to be on the court.

[exhales]

[sighs]

[laughs]

[in English] Champion, man.

Champing!

-No. -[players laugh]

Champion.

Champ-ion.

Champ-ing!

[laughing]

Champion!

Champion.

[in English] Let's go! Let's go!

-Champion! -Champion!

[in English] Go! Go! Go! Stay up!

Stay up! Stay up! Stay up!

[in English] Hands! Hands! Hands!

[Stephon in English] Go! Go! Let's go! Let's go!

Give it! D up! D up! D up!

We got this game! Let's go! Let's go!

Get back! Get back! Rebound! Rebound! Rebound!

I knew this was gonna look good on me right here.

Come on!

I got that. I got that! I got that! I got that!

Five's gonna come set a pick.

It's a double screen. One is gonna come over

for the jump shot, two is gonna come across.

[overlapping dialogue]

[camera shutter clicks]

Ball! Ball! Ball!

You could be a bad dribbler.

Grab, dribble and then go up.

Come on! Ball, up! Nice!

Ball coming straight down.

You are open. Open up.

Ball here.

[Coach Zheng] Ball! Ball! Ball! Ball!

[players clapping]

Ball! Ball! Ball!

Ball! Ball! Ball!

Ball! Ball! Ball!

Ball! Ball! Ball!

Okay.

Ball! Ball! Ball!

[in English] Place is unbelievable.

[Li Nan exhales]

Standing here, I can feel the force.

Where? Temple of Heaven?

Nah, Beijing.

The last time I was here,

I didn't know what to pray for.

[in English] For what?

For Yi!

He learned it?

-Really? -Hurry up. Give me the money.

[sighs]

Hey! Do you know what this means?

[Stephon] Of course I know what this means.

It's the prayer for the new season.

Hey! I wanna see it with my own eyes.

Don't worry, you will.

[announcer in English] Welcome to the Worldwide

Basketball Network!

It's the start of the 2012 season

and a chance for Beijing

to show it's not gonna be the same old story.

An eight-place finisher a year ago,

they've missed out on the playoffs

five straight seasons

but the American, Stephon Marbury,

is trying to champion the ultimate turnaround.

It's the Ducks against Jilin tonight.

[cheering]

[announcer in English] We are underway.

Marbury controls the tip.

He's the engine that makes it go.

The right side jump shot.

Good! Right away.

Just like that, the Ducks are on top.

Marbury splitting the defense.

Marbury to the hole. He scores!

Off the window.

-A wonderful start for Beijing.-[crowd cheering]

A ten-point win in their home opener.

[announcer in English] Marbury bringing it up.

There's Richardson, his fellow American.

Marbury, no-look pass to Jiang Yi.

The Ducks are rolling again tonight.

What a great energy.

[cheering]

[announcer] Stephon Marbury making it happen!

Those NBA skills have not eroded.

Not one bit.

[announcer] Yang ball handling for Beijing.

Looking for an opening here.

Finding who else but Marbury.

Jump shot coming.

Rains it in!

[announcer] Pass goes to the near side.

Once again, Richardson moves it quickly.

Open man found far wing.

jump shot on its way!

Beijing by 11!

Clock ticking away. Marbury from beyond midcourt.

- Bang! -[cheering]

[announcer] Marbury already with 22.

Flicks one.

On its way. Good!

The Ducks back within a point,

trying to keep the good times going.

Three-point-eight to go. Ducks are down one.

[shouts]

[announcer] Inbound play for Richardson.

Richardson a chance for the win.

[suspenseful music]

[jeering]

[announcer] Xiaoliang!

- The tip! He beats the buzzer! -[cheering]

[announcer]He follows the miss!

The Ducks have done it again!

[cheering]

[announcer] This one was neck and neck

but the Ducks wrap it up.

Stephon Marbury the catalyst.

Stephon Marbury the star.

Thirteen in a row for Beijing!

[announcer] Now the test really begins for Beijing.

These teams have never been fond of each other,

and now so much at stake.

And add to that, Stephon Marbury

against a man he knows so well, Korben Smith.

He can be tough to guard

and he can get under your skin, too.

That will really test Marbury's emotions.

[cheering]

[announcer] A win for Beijing

would embarrass the powerhouse Guangdong team.

Lielin defected to Guangdong

just to win a championship.

Marbury brings it up.

Marbury off a screen.

Marbury missing.

Just not his night.

- Lielin! -[whistle blows]

[announcer] Such a competitor. Boy, he never gives an inch.

Jiang Yi!

[whistle blows]

[announcer] He goes down hard.

What a blow for Beijing if he can't continue.

This game getting away from the Ducks.

[jeering]

[whistle blowing]

Hey, man!

The way you was out there playing today was wrong, man!

What you talking about? It's just basketball.

Nah, man. It ain't just basketball.

What? We was too rough?

So your little friends called you over here

to accuse daddy of playing too hard?

Stephon, this ain't your locker room.

Go back to your shit team, all right?

You guys lost today. We beat you guys.

You guys suck. You guys are done!

Ever since they gave you the nickname Ma Zhengwei,

you're just taking it for granted.

You really think that these people

making you feel like some glorified hero

gives you the right to come in here

and act like one?

Telling people what's right or wrong?

You know what? You're no hero.

And you never will be.

Matter of fact, back in the day,

you were even worse.

More arrogant, more vicious, more selfish.

Matter of fact, you're the punk bitch.

That's why your daddy had a heart attack!

You don't even know nothing about my dad, man.

Don't be talking about my father.

Do you even know why he had a heart attack?

Do you even know why he died?

He got into an argument with somebody because of you!

Somebody was talking shit about you,

he defended you,

the guy start talking shit to him.

The reason why I know,

my dad was sitting right next to Donald.

Donald took on the hate of a hundred men

because of you.

He died for you.

Man, it ain't even like that.

Do you know what his last words were?

He said to my dad,

"Make sure my son don't know what happened."

That's why nobody told you.

We wanted to respect Don's wishes.

Yeah.

So what are you doing here?

Coming in here playing all righteous.

It's ridiculous what China's done to you.

[somber music]

[sobbing]

Why nobody tell me how Daddy died,

that he had a heart attack?

[sighs] Stephon.

Because we love you.

[sobs] It's my fault.

It's my fault.

[Mabel] Stephon, it was not your fault.

Now, death is God's plan.

[sobbing]

He fought with a fan because of me.

He died 'cause of me.

Child, your father did what any good father would do.

Protecting his children no matter what.

And even in his last moment he was doing what he loved to do

and that's watching you play basketball.

Love is love, baby.

[stammers]

I miss... I miss him so much.

[Mabel] Well, baby.

But if you miss him, then you do what you should do,

and that is honor him.

You go out there and you play basketball.

Do the thing that he loved to watch you do.

[Stephon] I love you so much.

[Mabel] I love you, too.

[Donald] Come on, now.

Focus!

Get your head back in the game. You got this.

[Stephon] We... we can't win.

No one here believes we're gonna win anyway.

[Donald] Hey!

What do we say about that word, "can't"?

[Stephon] No such word in out vocabulary.

[Donald] Yeah, that's right there's no such thing

as I can't.

-[Stephon] Yes, sir. -[Donald] You gotta believe

in yourself.

[Stephon] Yes, sir.

[Donald] Now you go back out there and lead.

You play like a team

and you let your teammates know that you got their back.

[Donald] Now what do we do?

-[Stephon] We fight! -[Donald] What do we do?

[Stephon] We fight!

[Donald] To the very end. One hundred and ten.

[announcer] Beijing back at it in a hard fought

semifinal playoff round and back with some ferocity.

Marbury's already got 20.

He's got eight assists.

He's trying to get this Ducks team

to where nobody thought they could be.

Beijing believing all along Marbury had what it took.

Marbury's done plenty tonight.

Ducks are gonna win it!

Marbury checks out, his team

about to go forward to the final.

No one thought it could happen!

But the American sensation, Stephon Marbury did.

[all cheering]

[announcer] Ducks by 12 as the seconds tick away.

What a story.

What a story.

The Beijing Ducks will play for the championship

of the Chinese Basketball League!

Guangdong awaits!

Marbury has led this team to within one final step

of the ultimate glory.

Something Marbury, nor his family,

nor Beijing ever thought would happen.

An eight-place finisher just a year ago,

missed out on the playoffs five straight seasons

and here they are.

[all cheering]

[somber music]

[uplifting music]

[uplifting music continues]

[indistinct chatter]

[camera shutters clicking]

[all clamoring]

[all clapping]

[in English] Stephon, you never made it

to the finals in the NBA.

So, how does it feel now?

I feel like we're going to win the championship.

[teammates clapping]

[reporters clamor]

What's on your mind?

[Stephon] Every detail on how to beat Guangdong.

Bro, to be honest.

I know the Beijing team well,

but I know the Guangdong team even better.

Considering every strength and weakness,

the Guangdong team has an obvious advantage.

How are you going to win?

[Stephon] I never said it's gonna to be easy.

[upbeat music]

[announcer] Game one of the Chinese Basketball League

Finals about to begin.

David loading up his slingshot against a swaggering Goliath.

- It's the underdog Beijing -Stay on him!

against heavy favorite Guangdong.

Nice Guangdong defense.

-[Stephon] Hey! -[announcer] Tough as always.

Korben Smith and the former Duck, Wang Lielin

both off to very nice starts tonight.

[Stephon] For us to win, we'll first need

Guangdong to take us seriously.

We'll need to play better so they will step up,

which will expose their weakness.

[Li Nan] Knowing their weakness is not enough.

You have to find a way to exploit it.

Have you found it?

Of course.

But it's not an it.

It's a he.

[upbeat music]

[shoes squeaking]

[announcer] Richardson.

[Stephon] Richardson can score in the paint.

[announcer] Richardson again!

[Stephon] And he has the outside shooting touch.

[announcer] They have got Richardson involved tonight.

[Stephon] He's the one that decides Beijing's fate.

He'll be our secret weapon.

Hidden away, waiting for this moment.

Guangdong will be focusing on everyone but him.

[announcer] Stephon Marbury playing

a supporting role tonight.

His American counterpart Richardson,

the star in the opener.

[whistle blows]

[all cheer]

[announcer] The Ducks grabbing the game

they absolutely needed to have.

[Stephon] One, two, three.

[all] Beijing!

[Korben] Hey, Stephon, man.

-Good game, bro. -[Stephon] Yeah, man.

Man, I really apologize what I said about your dad, man.

He was a good man and a great father.

That's all right man. He was.

You know, and that was, that was uncalled for, man.

-I really apologize. -It's cool, man.

I needed to hear that, so it's all good.

Man, we can put this behind us?

For sure. It's behind.

-A lot of respect, bro. -[Stephon] Love.

But that ain't gonna stop me from kicking your ass.

Ha, you know I can't let that happen.

We'll see.

[Stephon] Oh, yeah. Good game, boys.

-Good game. -[Jiang Yi] Good job, man.

[Stephon] Way to play, way to play, way to play.

-[player whoops] -[Stephon] Yes, yes.

Yes, yes.

Good game, boy! How you feeling?

Bro.

-I think we can win. -That's what's up.

Keep that feeling 'cause that's gonna happen.

'Cause we definitely gonna do a lot of that.

[announcer] Marbury.

Richardson.

Marbury.

It goes!

Ducks by five!

Trying to grow their series lead.

Everyone into the act tonight.

Marbury, a master at getting everyone involved.

Out to a two games to nothing lead.

Guangdong's trying to fight back here in game three.

Two Americans on this team who are giving the Ducks

all they can deal with, here tonight.

Smith and Howard, both of 'em have fifteen points.

They're hitting every shot.

They're making every play.

The Guangdong holding serve in this pivotal Game Three.

Smith, no-look! And it's Howard jamming.

Come on, defense! You're not overweight.

[announcer] Game four begins with Korben Smith

looking to pick up where he left off.

Everything seemed to fall in game three for Guangdong.

They're a little bit off so far tonight.

[crowd chants] Defense!

[announcer] The Ducks have found a way to pull it off!

They take the commanding, surprising

three games to one lead in this best of seven series.

[Li Nan] Stephon, can I have a word with you?

What's up, my brother?

I'm here to say goodbye.

Goodbye?

Where you goin'?

[sighs]

NBA Development League?

Is this real?

But you're gonna miss the game.

[gasps]

You will be the champion.

I never thought hearing you say that

would make me so happy.

[chuckles]

I must admit it, Stephon,

you made me start to believe in a lot of things.

Man, I tell you, man.

I just let the heart choose what the heart wants.

I wasted so much time

all because I never really listened

to what my heart had to say.

Until now.

On another note, my brother.

How's that?

Right now?

Stronger than ever.

That's what I like to hear.

My brother, man, I just never thanked you

for everything that you've done for me, man.

It goes both ways, brother.

Thank you for destroying everything I once believed!

[both chuckle]

All the best, my brother, man.

Ah!

[suspenseful music]

[Stephon] China has given me so much more

than another chance to play basketball.

Before I came to China, my life was chaos.

I had hit rock bottom.

China gave me a new life and healed my soul.

It gave me the opportunity to become a leader

and a teammate to a group of brave guys

who shared my dream.

They're my brothers and it's my greatest honor

and a privilege to fight side by side with them.

When I was young,

I always thought my father pushed me so hard

to make my basketball dreams come true.

It was years later, in a place so far from home,

that I finally realized

he was actually teaching me how to become a man

on and off the court.

Beijing and its people gave me a chance to become Ma Zhengwei.

Their faith and their trust, gives me strength.

And tonight, I'm going to use that strength

to achieve the dream.

The championship.

[Stephon] One, two, three.

[all cheer]

[grunting]

[Stephon] Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!

[announcer] If the perennial champion Guangdong

doesn't win tonight, it is over.

The Beijing Ducks will be the CBL Champions.

Something no one

-Go, Stephon! - would have believed

before this incredible season.

[announcer] Marbury.

- Good! -[all cheer]

[cheering continues]

[announcer] From distance.

Wang Lielin hits one for Guangdong.

Ball movement for Beijing has been outstanding.

Richardson, baseline, loses it.

Go, go, go!

[announcer] Korben Smith down at the other end.

Korben Smith hits it, fading away.

Guangdong extends the lead.

Beijing down by 11.

Still early but lots to do.

And it's Yang!

Yang all the way downcourt!

He got it for Beijing!

[all clapping]

[announcer] Yang. Long range.

Jump shot goes!

Beijing has muscled its way back on top!

-Go! Go! Go! -Go! Go! Go!

[announcer] Marbury.

Pull-up jump shot good!

Guandong on three.

-One, two, three! -[all] Guangdong!

[announcer] Beijing by five, here in the second half.

They work it to the perimeter.

[crowd chanting]

[crowd cheers]

[announcer] Guangdong with Korben Smith.

Marbury lets him go.

And it's Korben Smith to the rack!

Marbury back. Marbury racing.

[all cheer]

[announcer] Lays it up and in!

Marbury has 15!

This game tied with under five to go.

It's been a back and forth battle here.

Each team has had a chance to toggle on top.

Pull-up jump shot.

Korben Smith hits it!

A lot more difficult to score the later it gets.

-[all] Ahh! -[announcer] But the Guangdong

team, up now 116-111.

Lielin!

Loose ball.

-[whistle blows] -[announcer] Yang gets fouled.

And he will go to the line!

A couple free throws for Yang.

and the Ducks get back to within three.

[woman] Defense!

Defense!

[announcer] Pull-up jump shot!

Make it 26 for Korben Smith!

Marbury driving!

Layup good!

Beijing again slices that deficit to three.

The Ducks with a balanced scoring attack,

something that's carried and defined them all series.

Marbury's got 20.

Richardson's got 20 and so does Yang.

- Yang reaching in. -[whistle blows]

[announcer] He's called for the foul!

He's out. Yang has fouled out.

And remember, Marbury, only one more foul

and he'd be out.

Howard.

Splashing one in from the corner.

The lead back up to six for Guangdong.

It's under two to go.

The Ducks work it up court.

Everything on Marbury now with Yang having fouled out.

Marbury bangs one home!

[all cheer]

[announcer]Ducks back to within three points of Guangdong.

[indistinct cheering]

Marbury reaching in. They call the foul!

Stephon Marbury is done for the night.

-What? -What?

Oh, no.

[crowd murmuring]

[whistle blowing]

[announcer] He's gotten his team within three,

with under two to go,

but if Beijing's gonna win,

now they'll have to do it without him.

[crowd cheering]

[crowd chanting] Marbury! Marbury!

[announcer] Stephon Marbury who lives by the tenet,

"There is no such word as can't."

His team will have to remember that now.

They're gonna have to find a way.

Marbury's out.

Two key pieces have fouled out for Beijing.

The Ducks will have to find a way as Yang and Marbury

will both watch now, from the bench.

[suspenseful music]

[cheering]

[Donald] What's the most important thing out there?

-[Stephon] Team! -[Donald] And how do you win?

[Stephon] Be better than the opponent!

-[Donald] And? -[Stephon] Be a better me!

- Better today than yesterday! -[Donald] What?

- What? -[Stephon] Better tomorrow

than today!

[Donald] What's a leader without a team?

[Stephon] Nothing.

[Donald] What makes a good leader?

[Stephon] Making your teammates better.

[Donald] What makes a great leader?

[Stephon] Someone who inspires them!

[announcer] Jiang Yi,

- from the corner! -Come on, let's go!

[announcer] The Ducks back up by a point.

Twelve seconds to go in Beijing.

You take that shot.

Go!

[announcer] Lielin to inbound.

Beijing's defense needing one last stop.

[suspenseful music]

[announcer] Korben Smith.

Two defenders on him.

Korben Smith for the win, if it goes.

[suspenseful music]

[thuds]

[announcer]Guangdong goes down!

Beijing has done it!

[audience cheering]

-[screams] -[all applaud]

[cheering]

[announcer] The underdog among all underdogs

has found a way!

The Ducks are this year's champions!

Stephon Marbury has brought a championship to Beijing!

[uplifting music]

[Stephon] My father once said that the key to success

was to become the better me,

both on and off the court.

My time in Beijing gave me the chance to do both.

Tomorrow, I'll continue to write this new chapter in my life,

in this magical city that has given me so much love.

This is a story about a boy from Brooklyn

whose big dreams came true

7,000 miles away from New York City.

It's a story about China, about a second chance

and most of all, it's about love.

Like I always say,

- "Love is love." -[Mabel] Love is love.

[upbeat music]

[upbeat music continues]

[Allen] Hey, yo.

That don't look like you.

What? What you mean it don't look like me?

How it don't look like me? Look at my face!

Look at my nose!

Look at the jersey! Look at the shoes!

[Stephon] Are you serious?

-It don't look like you. -[scoffs]

Can't believe we're here at my statue,

and you're telling me it doesn't look like me.

Wow. But guess what.

Check it.

Let's go lace 'em up and let's go get it on, then.

Let's do it.

Yeah.

I want that one-on-one game.

That'll work.

-Hey, you know what's crazy? -What?

The baddest point guard out of New York City

got a statue that don't even look like him.

[laughs]

What you mean it don't look like me?

This is my second time telling you that that was me

and it looks just like me.

I'm serious, if that statue look like you,

then the statue in Philadelphia

of Rocky Balboa look like me.

[Stephon laughing]

Yo, man, you know the statue is white?

-Rocky Balboa. -I know.

I'm just telling you how off it is.

Come on, man, '96 draft class.

-Me, you, Kobe, Steve Nash... -[Allen] Ray Allen.

-Wow. It's a crazy ass class. -Hall of Fame. Steve Nash.

That's a sick class.

I think that's the best class ever.

Oh, definitely, for sure.

[Stephon] I mean look what we have accomplished.

You, Hall of Famer.

Me, statue, green card.

-Green card? -Green card.

-Permanent resident. -Oh, so this is home, huh?

Oh, this is definitely home for me.

-I can dig it. -[Stephon] Guess what, we inside

my home right now.

Our home, as far as this basketball court.

-It's time to really get it on. -I need to stretch.

-I'm 40 years old. -Stretch?

Yeah, man. I'm 40 years old.

I don't do this every day.

I'm 39 years old, man.

I think I need to stretch a little bit as well.

Okay, and since I'm the oldest, I get the ball first.

-[Allen] Check. -So, what's that mean?

Because you're the oldest you get the ball first?

-Hey, man. I'm the oldest. -[Stephon] All right.

Too bad there ain't no witnesses in here

to see you take this ass whopping.

-Witnesses? -Yeah.

-Ass whopping? -[Allen] Yeah.

-Are you serious? -[Allen] You heard me.

Man, you better be lucky nobody ain't in here right now

to be able to see what's about to happen.

They're gonna all wonder

how you made it into the Hall of Fame.

Well, let's get it then.

[suspenseful music]

[upbeat music]