Stephon Marbury set to play 2 more seasons in China

It's been a long, strange journey for Stephon Marbury, and his story has at least two more chapters left to be written.

The Beijing Ducks announced Friday that they've extended Marbury's contract through to 2017, meaning his stay with the team will extend to at least six seasons and through his 40th birthday.

"Although Marbury is almost 40 years old," head coach Min Lulei said, "I believe in his ability and attitude. The team will give him a proper training schedule, and limit his playing time to save his energy while competing in future games."

While Marbury left the NBA after the 2008-09 season as somewhat of a punchline, he's been resurrected as a high-impact star in the Chinese Basketball Association. In his four seasons with Beijing, Marbury has won three championships and a Finals MVP, making the All-Star team every year.

This past season, the 38-year-old averaged 18.4 points and 5.9 assists in 34 minutes over 51 games, shooting 51.4 percent from the floor and 39.7 percent from long range.

His success has been such that he's gone from admittedly wanting to die to a huge fan favorite who's been named an honorary citizen and starred in a play about himself. He's even been honored with a stamp.

The No. 4 pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, Marbury appeared in 846 games over 13 seasons with five teams, averaging 19.3 points and 7.6 assists. He ranks 22nd all-time in assists, 79th in 3-point field goals and 95th in points.