Isiah Thomas saw something different in Stephon Marbury’s eyes when the Knicks point guard returned Monday from the Olympics in Athens. “He had a glow,” Thomas said. “It’s something I haven’t seen on his face. It’s an inner peace and confidence.”
Some might call the USA Basketball Team’s bronze medal finish in Athens a disaster. But strip away the unfulfilled team expectations and it’s the individual gains in knowledge and character that could pay dividends in their future careers.
Thomas said the Olympic experience has made Marbury a “better player and a better person,” despite the team’s 5-3 record. Learning to be more of a quarterback than scorer in Larry Brown’s offensive system, and tempering his own frustration during so many games should benefit Marbury this season.
“The first thing he said was that it was the best experience of his basketball career because he had to deal with adversity and, through that adversity, keep his team together and learn how to lead,” Thomas said. “The best thing he learned was that he could lead a team to a win without taking a shot. People have always been telling him that he could do that, but he’s always been in a situation where he didn’t have the luxury to do that. When he got with better players, he learned he doesn’t always have to score to win.”
Marbury averaged 10.5 points in his eight Olympic games. He scored fewer than 10 points in each of the first five outings, but had 31 points in the quarterfinal win over Spain. While Marbury’s ability to score never has been questioned, his leadership skills are still developing. Thomas now sees a player he can trust with his team.
“When he first got on our team there was doubt,” Thomas said. “But when he left Greece there was no doubt he can be trusted to run the team.”
While Marbury is off on a much-needed vacation, Thomas was in The Bronx yesterday helping a group of Madison Square Garden volunteers build a playground for the Harriet Tubman Charter School on Third Avenue. It’s one of 10 playgrounds the volunteers will build as part of the Cheering For Children Foundation.
“It’s great to get back to where you can touch people,” Thomas said. “We’ve got to give our team and players back to the city. We’ve got to connect with them, and the only way you’re going to do that is to be amongst the people and not above the people.”
