NBA City Challenge Tournament Leshan Leg Begins, Star Stephon Marbury Visits Leshan and Says in Sichuan Dialect: "I Miss You Very Much in Leshan"

On September 5, the 2026 Jinxiu Tianfu·NBA City Challenge Tournament (Leshan Leg) began at Leshan Giant Buddha Cultural Square. This is the largest local-level event held by the NBA in western China to date, with eight amateur teams from across Sichuan competing fiercely under a single-elimination format.

▲Scene from the NBA City Challenge Tournament (Leshan Leg)

That evening, NBA legend "Starbury" Stephon Marbury arrived at the Leshan venue. As the No. 4 overall pick in the first round of the "96 Golden Generation" draft and a two-time NBA All-Star, his appearance immediately energized the crowd. Marbury shouted "I miss you very much in Leshan" to the fans in the Sichuan dialect, drawing waves of cheers. He watched the birth of the four semifinalists from the sidelines and interacted closely with fans, responding to the passion of Leshan supporters with his enthusiasm.

▲Marbury interacts with fans

Public information shows that this appearance at the Leshan leg was one of Marbury's few public offline basketball activities in recent years. Away from the court, Marbury also began a special night tour of Leshan. He boarded the "Qianwei" themed cruise ship and experienced Leshan's classic "Night Tour of Three Rivers" project. On the boat, local specialties including sweet-skin duck, Luocheng beef, and scallion oil pancakes earned repeated praise from the NBA legend.

▲Marbury takes a photo under Leshan Giant Buddha

A relevant official from the Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area Management Committee said that bringing a top-level sports event to a location recognized as a world cultural and natural heritage site is a major innovation of the tournament. Moving the competition venue from traditional sports halls to Leshan Giant Buddha Cultural Square allows visitors to tour the scenic area while watching games and experience the connection between the millennium-old Buddhist culture and basketball passion.

Hongxing News learned that the semifinals and final of this leg will be held on September 6, when the championship battle will take place. The trendy market accompanying the event allows spectators to browse exhibitions and visit Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area after watching games, enjoying a new experience combining sports, culture and tourism, and leisure activities.

Hongxing News reporter Gu Aigang