Former Knicks albatross Stephon Marbury has signed a contract to play professional basketball in China. The 32-year-old Coney Island native will become the highest profile American player to make the jump to Asia when he joins the Chinese Basketball Association's Shanxi Zhongyu team.

The two-time All-Star will arrive in China next week, ESPN reports. "The aim of signing Marbury is to pay back our fans and try to win more games in the rest of the season," said Shanxi boss Wang Xingjiang, whose team is currently 15th in the 17-team league. He added that the guard's salary won't be too high because he is hoping to use his time in China to market his sneakers (which he has advertised on the side of his head).

"I'll communicate with the fans through my basketball," said Marbury. "I think this will be a unique experience. To go overseas to play ball, to live, for me it's a challenge." Marbury has posed for a photo posted on the Shanxi website holding one of his shoes in front of the hand-written message: "What's up Shan Xi, Love is Love, I Will Be There Soon."