Stephon Marbury talks about why he created his own shoe line that only cost $15: 'Access for all people who couldn't afford'

In 2006, then-New York Knicks superstar point guard Stephon Marbury shook the sneaker industry by introducing a low-cost basketball shoe named after him. The move was brave for Marbury because instead of endorsing one of the top shoe brands like his fellow NBA stars did, he took a different route by waging a war against them instead.

During his recent appearance on the "Maxed Out" podcast with former Rockets guard Vernon Maxwell, Steph discussed the wisdom of developing a low-cost basketball shoe.

"I mean $14.98, access for all people who couldn't afford," said Stephon. I come from where I come from. My mom, seven kids, she could afford to do it. We grew up…everything like everybody else from the hood. But I understood the importance of giving back, making sure that we created something that people would be able to attach themselves to."

They tried to make the shoe as cheap as possible

To turn his dream into reality, Marbury partnered with Steve & Barry's University Sportswear. Stephon invested in the venture with the salary he made from the Knicks during that time, and together, they came up with a shoe named 'Starbury,' a nod to Steph's childhood nickname.

The shoe was produced in China and was sold to retailers without middlemen and with minimal markup. Marbury also did not get endorsement money and was paid a small percentage of the sales so those made the shoe's price even cheaper. The Starbury was sold at $14.98 when all was said and done.

"My ideology is to treat people the way you want to be treated and win it back seven-fold. Once we created what we created and we did what we did with Starbury, it went all over the planet. It was cornering the market, selling shoes and clothes that are an affordable price for black people who can't afford Michael Jordan shoes."

Marbury called out Jordan

With Marbury donning the kicks in his NBA games, they sold like hotcakes. Reportedly, the first batch released for sale sold out in three days. In its first six months, Starbury sales reached 1 million pairs. Steph says at its peak, shoe sales reached four million pairs. But Steve & Barry's was hit by the 2008 recession and declared bankruptcy in 2009. That was also Marbury's last year in the NBA, so the shoe went out of production.

But at the height of Marbury's superstardom in China, the shoe was relaunched in 2015. He called out Jordan for 'robbing the hood' with his $200 Js. Starbury however, did not get the same traction it had during its original launch. Meanwhile, the Air Jordan remains the best-selling shoe on the planet.

Starbury was just one of the many independent shoe brands that launched but failed to topple Nike and Jordan. However, for the millions who bought his shoes, Marbury is a hero. For Marbury, it's about owning and giving back, rather than being owned.