Some called Stephon Marbury difficult. Others doubted he could adapt to life—and
basketball—half a world away from Brooklyn. What he found, however, was not only a new
chapter for his career but also a partner who became translator, agent, confidant, and bridge
between cultures, Chen Yang.

Their partnership began fifteen years ago. The call came by accident. “Can you come to the
airport tonight?” someone from the team asked. The translator had quit, suddenly. Yang said yes,
not knowing it would change his life. Stepping into the job, Chen Yang had already read
countless articles labeling Marbury as difficult and hard to handle. But their first meeting at a
crowded Beijing airport told a different story. “We chatted for a few minutes, and I realized the
man in front of me wasn’t the person described online,” he recalls.

Chen Yang helped launch the Marbury Basketball Camp, insisting it be more than a marketing
gimmick. “If we did it, it had to be real,” he remarked. Marbury coached in person, mentored
kids. Parents and children later said that they felt a sense of belonging—something Yang calls
the heart of IP building. “We even brought kids to Brooklyn to retrace Marbury’s path from
street courts to the NBA. And let those kids understand that basketball is not just about skill, it’s
about becoming a better person. If you want long-term brand value, it must come from real
connection, not surface marketing.”

Yang also managed Marbury’s domestic media presence—from guest appearances to building
his social-media ecosystem across Weibo and Douyin. When TV producers approached for a one-time cameo, Chen negotiated for Marbury to become a permanent mentor. “We didn’t want to do publicity for the sake of it. We wanted him to genuinely inspire young players.” When Marbury retired and became head coach of Beijing Royal Fighters, Chen transitioned to vice general manager. Now he wasn’t just managing one athlete but an entire organization—from contracts and bonuses to logistics and team morale.

He restructured the club’s contracts within a month, flying to 17 cities to sign 14 players. He
even coordinated timing of bonuses to motivate the team before key games. The results spoke for
themselves: under his management, the club achieved its best finish in history.
“The key was always communication and trust,” he says. “Between coaches and players, players
and management, everyone needed to feel respected.”

After more than a decade in the business, Chen Yang’s philosophy is clear, authenticity builds trust. But more than that—it earns loyalty. Because in sports, fans don’t just follow results; they follow people. Whether it’s a training camp or a media appearance, real engagement always outweighs branding gimmicks. “Fans can tell when something is genuine,” Chen says. “That’s what lasts.”

From translator to executive, Chen Yang has helped redefine what it means to build a sports IP in China. Tomorrow, he’s already planning the next camp, the next story, the next connection. By bridging cultural gaps, protecting Marbury’s interests, and building genuine relationships, he helped write one of the most unlikely success stories in modern Chinese basketball.