Basketball star says he has Beijing in his heart

New York-born basketball star Stephon Marbury has shrugged off the sensation caused by his application for a Chinese "green card", saying he has long made Beijing his home away from home regardless of his residence status.

Marbury, who led the Beijing Ducks to three Chinese Basketball Association championship titles in four years, made his commitment to spending the rest of his life in China official by applying for a permanent residence permit on Friday. The announcement triggered a massive amount of discussion among fans on social media.

The former National Basketball Association All-Star has become hugely popular in China since joining the CBA in 2010 after 13 up-and-down years in the NBA.