Social Media

Marbury called out Jordan on Twitter as 'greedy'

Stephon Marbury calls out Michael Jordan
VIDEO0:4600:46
Stephon Marbury calls out Michael Jordan

Former NBA star Stephon Marbury took to Twitter this week to promote the reboot of his sneaker brand and to criticize legendary basketball star and entrepreneur Michael Jordan.

The Coney Island native, who is currently playing ball for the Beijing Ducks, used the social media platform as a soapbox to call Jordan "greedy" and accuse him of "robbing the hood" with his high-priced Nike sneakers.

Tweet 1

Marbury also blamed Jordan for strings of violence associated with his trademarked, limited edition shoes.

Nike did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Tweet 2

Marbury's line of $15 sneakers, called Starbury, initially launched in 2006 for under $10, but folded in 2009 when Steve & Barry's, the chain of stores partnering with the athlete, filed for bankruptcy. He announced on Instragram in September that his footwear brand would be making a comeback.

Nike CEO: Innovation creates separation
VIDEO2:5702:57
Nike CEO: Innovation creates separation

The Air Jordan sneaker brand, which launched in 1984, garnered Jordan $100 million last year, more than 10 years after he retired from the NBA, according to PBS Newshour. That figure is more than the basketball star made from the NBA during his entire 15-season career.

Retail prices for the brand's sneakers range from $130 to $250, but the street value jumps when supplies are limited.

The Air Jordan 4 Retro "Laser" sneaker cost $250 in stores, but sold online for as much as $2,000, according to Sole Collector, a sneaker magazine.

Tweet 3

"When I gave you 15 dollar shoes in America my mission was clear," Marbury wrote on Instagram. "It wasn't about basketball it was about creating change in the sneaker game."

Marbury will need more than angry tweets to put a dent in the shoe market, however. PBS Newshour calculated that sneaker sales in the United States topped $34 billion between June 2014 and June 2015.

But, he could have a chance.

A Wall Street guide to shoes: From $650 to shoe porn
Shopper carrying a Nike shopping bag in New York.
Nike earnings: $1.34 per share, vs expected EPS of $1.19
A Nike logo in Beijing, China
Is Nike signaling China's economy is OK?

"What's different about today, one big difference, is social media," Manish Tripathi, an assistant professor in the practice of marketing at Emory University, told CNBC. "His ability to communicate to a lot of people pretty easily and in a cheap fashion, that has definitely changed. He can make these comments that are a little bit inflammatory, get people to start talking about it, draw some awareness to what he is trying to do."

Using a Tom's-inspired model, Marbury could use his sneakers to make a statement, Tripathi said, referring to the casual shoe brand that donates a pair of shoes to the needy for every pair bought.

"I don't think he's going to overtake Nike or Jordan any way at all; I don't think that's going to happen," he said. "...but if he can make this more cause oriented and make tangible results and show some sort of impact, I think he can gain some momentum."