Marbury has gone even further by promising to wear his line of shoes on court throughout the forthcoming season. He is also embarking on a nationwide tour to spread the word in person. After all, Starbury is not going to be advertised the way Nike, Adidas, Reebok and all the others have done in the past. The money simply isn't there. Instead, Marbury is leveraging his own fame and the power of word of mouth.

It has only been a couple of weeks since his new line of clothing went on sale. At one store it was reported that 500 people were waiting in a line when the doors opened. It has also been reported that some stores were imposing a two item limit, such was the high level of demand.

Marbury isn't just trying to stick it to his fellow sports celebrities. As someone who grew up in the urban deprivation of Coney Island, he feels acutely that families should be spending $200 on groceries not shoes. Whilst such social entrepreneurism deserves to be applauded, questions still remain over how such shoes can be manufactured so cheaply.

Whilst any attempt to alleviate poverty in America has to be lauded, if it relies on exploitation of workers in other countries then is it as compromised as the labour policies of corporations such as Nike? Ironically, Steve and Barry's don't source much from China -- to avoid tariffs, they tend to source more from Africa.

Although Marbury has the best interests at heart of his brothers and sisters at home, is he doing the same for them abroad? This is an issue he need to address, as his rivals will be looking for any sign of weakness that they can use to attack him. Starbury's ethical policy is a notable absence from their website.

One thing however is certain: Marbury's bold play has the potential to change the sportwear industry forever. As he says himself: "I want to tell people all over the country that the game is over; being cool isn't about a price tag."