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January 12, 2007 -- Stephon Marbury has a new show to run and it's not the Knicks offense.

In a landmark boost to his image, Marbury has landed his own TV sports talk show, The Post has learned. It's a sharp turn of events for the Knicks point guard who was nearly booed into the Hudson River in November.

Marbury, whose play has been on the dramatic upturn the past 12 games, reached an agreement earlier this week with Fox SportsNet to air 13 episodes, where he will host and produce a half-hour show entitled "Stars on Stars."

According to a Fox SportsNet source, it's possible the shows will begin in March, on Fridays at 4:30 p.m. Kobe Bryant would be slated as Marbury's first guest. The source said Dallas owner Mark Cuban and Knicks coach/president Isiah Thomas are future guests. The shows are to air on FoxSportsNet affiliates that reach 50 million viewers.

Marbury, who branched out in the summer by marketing a $15 discount sneaker, shopped the show for a year. The Coney Island native said his motivation to be host of a talk show was rooted in displaying a different side to his personality than the scowling one depicted on the basketball court.

Marbury and Fox SportsNet spokesman Lou D'Ermilio declined comment yesterday. But during last week's West Coast trip, Marbury said during a reflective Post interview about the show, "I just felt it would allow people to see my personality beyond the perception that's written about basketball. People say I'm selfish. The numbers don't show I'm selfish. I've never gotten a chance to defend myself as far as me as a person. So people have driven me to come up with an outlet of expression. I thought it would be a lot of fun.

"It's not a sports show as much as a lifestyle show," Marbury added. "Hopefully I can show a different side of other people and a different side of me. It's a conversation between two people who happen to be stars, talking about our experiences growing up and as far as everyday life."

Marbury can appear joyless on the court, especially during losing times, making him an odd choice to be a host. Nevertheless, across the past few weeks, he's been more jovial, slapping teammates' hands after baskets.

After an awful first six weeks to the season when he was occasionally benched, Marbury has come on strong the past dozen games. Thomas, whose club is 7-4 in its past 11, was moved this week on consecutive days to brand Marbury's play as the best he's seen from him. With the trading deadline coming up next month, cynics would say he's pumping up his value.

But it seems Thomas has genuinely loved that Marbury has finally bought into the new offense revolving around center Eddy Curry. Marbury is happy to dump the ball inside and live off the consequences, often open 3-pointers.

"I know some people are writing in their stories whose team it is," Marbury said. "It does not matter whose team it is as long as we win."

Marbury also has pushed the ball more than ever and he's played solid perimeter defense.

"It's the complete game," Thomas said. "It's taking it off the blackboard and making it come to life out on the court. It's a completion and the execution of a game plan, defensively and offensive. He's making sure that we do what we're supposed to do out on the floor, not just one time, but every single time."

Marbury, who's lifted his scoring average to 14 points per game, 5.4 assists and 2.2 turnovers, was fifth in All-Star voting among Eastern guards, ahead of Detroit's Chauncey Billups. That could be a result of the publicity gained from Marbury's $15 sneakers and a Steve & Barry's promotion reminding fans to vote "Starbury."

"Winning a championship would complete the whole me," Marbury said. "So when someone writes a good story or a bad story, it really does not matter because all that matters is what happens in the end."

Good Lord.

Though, the car accident factor is high so I'll tune in when it shows. Might be some nifty unintentional comedy coming out of this one.

I certainly hope Steph has his priorities straight, if you get what I mean.

[Edited by - K22 on 01-12-2007 10:11 AM]

focus on basketball please

Posted by TMS:

i heard Steph is going to be taking over Rosie O'Donnell's spot on The View.

LOL!!

As long as he is not talking about basketball or his place in the PG rankings of the NBA, it should be alright. Otherwise, it is going to be a disaster. In fact, who am I kidding, it is probably going to be a disaster anyway.

I get the FEELing that a lot of his motivation is not pure.

My point is that he plays well to quiet the negative press or boo's.

The sneaker is about image.

The show is not about his glowing outgoing personality but to make a point to demostrate that he is a fun and loving guy.

He is not a star, he is not a personality.

He is s a damm fine ballplayer and if he can get into that skin maybe he can continue to play well for his team, and for himself, intead of just trying to please those around him.

Whats next, Nate in a reprise of the "Pee Wee Herman show"?

Nate on Broadway doing "Rainman"?

I dont know about disaster...it could be an interesting show. That said, it seems as if Steph is going to overcompensate for his hood influenced, surly reputation by putting on a benign, boring show where he just flashes his teeth and that big arse head of his (both literally and figuratively). This looks like strictly an image rebuilding endeavor to please corporate types. It will just be another cog in that quagmire of a schedule Fox Sports has. Dont watch that garbage channel unless there is a game on, or they have a countdown special where people are getting repeatedly hit in the head.

Yeah, I'm fine with the talkshow and I wish him luck.........At the same time I'm terrified about what he is going to say.

As long as this is a sidething, and he's 100% commited to basketball, then fine. However, if his game starts to suffer b/c he's so commited to working on his image, then he just needs to be jetisoned.

Posted by simrud:

The guy can't talk, sometimes I wonder how people have jobs out there. Who he hell said yes to this idea on the network.

ahhhhhh, the mysteries of life.

Topic of the first show: "Why am I the league's best point guard"

First question: "Kobe you've been in the league for a while now, you've had plenty of success and won a few titles. I really admire you. Now if you could, please explain to the crowd exactly what makes me the league's best PG"