Amare Stoudemire
Encyclopedia
Amar'e Carsares Stoudemire (pron; born November 16, 1982) is an American professional basketball
player who plays as a power forward and center for the New York Knicks
of the National Basketball Association
.
Stoudemire played high school basketball for six different schools, before graduating from Cypress Creek High School
and declaring for the NBA draft
as a prep-to-pro player. In high school, Stoudemire won several honors most notably being selected as Mr. Basketball
for the state of Florida
. Stoudemire initially committed to the University of Memphis. He was selected in the first round with the ninth overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft
, Stoudemire spent the first eight years of his career with the Phoenix Suns
, before signing with the New York Knicks
. Stoudemire is listed at 6 in 10 in (208.28 cm) and 240 pounds (108.9 kg).
Stoudemire is known for having a relatively successful career despite having chronic knee problems and having microfracture surgery
on his knees. Stoudemire won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award
in 2003, made six appearances in the NBA All-Star Game, was a first-team All-NBA
selection in 2007, and won a bronze medal with the United States men's national basketball team at the 2004 Olympic Games
.
Stoudemire's first name had previously been listed in the Phoenix Suns media guide as Amaré or Amare, but it was changed to Amar'e in October 2008. Stoudemire told NBA.com that his name had always been spelled Amar'e, but the media had been spelling it incorrectly since he joined the NBA.
Stoudemire stated he has Jewish roots in his mother's family heritage. Stoudemire has visited Israel
and is one of the few players in the league with Jewish ties.
a small city within an hour's drive of Orlando
. Stoudemire's parents, Carrie and Hazell, divorced at a young age. Together they had a son, Hazzell Jr., as well as Amar'e. Stoudemire's mother did agricultural work, picking oranges in Florida, but she migrated north to Upstate New York
during the fall to pick apples. Upon divorcing Hazell, she met another man, Artis Wilmore. Together they had a child, Marwan, who became Stoudemire's half brother. Hazell died of a heart attack when Stoudemire was 12, and his mother was in and out of prison
for things such as petty theft and forgery during that time. Because his mother was in and out of jail, Stoudemire had other outside influences to help guide him. He occasionally stayed with a policeman named Burney Hayes; he also lived with a man named Travis King, who coached Fastbreak USA, Stoudemire's AAU
squad, as well as a minister named Bill Williams. As a result of moving in-and-out, and his mother's problems with the law, he attended six different high schools in two different states. Due to all the transfers he missed his entire junior year of basketball. Stoudemire graduated from Cypress Creek High School
in Orlando, Florida
. He told Isaac Perry in an article for Dime Magazine
that what kept him going in that time period was God and the words of rapper Tupac Shakur
. Apart from basketball, Stoudemire excelled in football. Stoudemire was coached by his father in his Pop Warner football team as a child and saw himself as a star receiver for the University of Miami
, Florida
or Florida State
. Growing up Stoudemire rooted for Shaquille O'Neal
who played for his hometown Orlando Magic
.
He did not start playing organized basketball until he was 14. Stoudemire only played two years of high school-level basketball, but in those two years he was named the MVP of the Nike Summer League
. In his senior year Stoudemire averaged 29.1 points, 15 rebounds, 6.1 blocked shots, and 2.1 steals per game. Stoudemire obtained several honors in high school. He was selected to play in the McDonald's All-American Game, won Florida Mr. Basketball
, USA Today All-USA Basketball First Team, and was an Orlando Sentinel
Florida High School Player of the Year. In high school Stoudemire noted that his biggest goal was to make it as a NBA player. Stoudemire through high school was able to make good grades and committed to John Calipari
and the University of Memphis
. However, he later de-committed and declared for the NBA draft because of his desire to help his family quickly. The Phoenix Suns
decided on him with the ninth pick in the 2002 NBA Draft
due to the need of an interior presence, something they lacked since trading Charles Barkley
. Phoenix was the only team that year to select a high school player in the first round.
per game, with a season high of 38 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves
on December 30, 2002, the highest score by a prep-to-pro player until broken a year later by LeBron James
. Stoudemire was selected to the Rookie squad in the Rookie Challenge. In the game, Stoudemire recorded 18 points, 7 rebounds and 4 steals. Stoudemire won the NBA's Rookie of the Year award
, beating out Yao Ming
and Caron Butler
and becoming the first player drafted out of high school to win the award. Stoudemire also was selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. The Suns, led by Stoudemire, Stephon Marbury
, Shawn Marion
, Penny Hardaway
and Joe Johnson
, made it to the playoffs but were defeated in six games by the eventual champions, the San Antonio Spurs
.
The following season, Stoudemire improved statistically, but his team stumbled to a 29–53 record, and point guard
Stephon Marbury
was traded to the New York Knicks
. During the season Stoudemire had a 10-block game against the Utah Jazz
; he recorded six blocks in the first quarter alone. During the summer of 2004, Stoudemire was selected to play for the eventual Bronze Medal-winning United States national team in the 2004 Summer Olympics
. However, head coach Larry Brown
declined to give him significant playing time.
During the 2004–05 NBA season, Stoudemire teamed up with point guard Steve Nash
who the Suns traded for, to lead the Suns to a 62–20 record. Averaging 26 points per game that year and achieving a new career high of 50 points against the Portland Trail Blazers
on January 2, 2005, he was selected to his first National Basketball Association All-Star Game
as a reserve forward. Stoudemire participated in the slam dunk contest, but did not win the competition. Stoudemire and Nash ran a pick-and-roll many have compared to John Stockton
and Karl Malone
. In the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, Stoudemire performed magnificently, averaging 37 points per game, but the Suns lost in 5 games.
on October 18, 2005. Initially, the Suns thought he would return by mid-February, but his rehab took longer than expected. Stoudemire, however, scored 20 points in his return against the Portland Trail Blazers
, but went scoreless his third game against the New Jersey Nets
on March 27, 2006. On March 28 it was announced that he would likely miss the rest of the regular season due to ongoing stiffness in both knees. His manager stated that the comeback came a little too soon, and Stoudemire needed to do more rehab. Stoudemire's rehabilitation, which was led by Suns trainer Aaron Nelson and Dr. Micheal Clark, the president and CEO of the National Academy of Sports Medicine
(NASM) went well as he stated during the rehab that he was pretty explosive and he gradually gained his strength back.
Stoudemire attended the 2006 USA Basketball
camp in Las Vegas
, although he ultimately did not play in the 2006 FIBA World Championship
. His athletic trainer
s stated that he had no swelling since his most recent surgery and his strength and flexibility have been "better than ever: almost like superman".
Stoudemire played in the FIBA Americas Championship 2007, but withdrew from the national team for the 2008 Olympics
. Jerry Colangelo
, managing director for the national team, said, "Amar'e has pulled himself out of consideration for the roster and that's predicated on, despite the fact that he's had an injury-free year coming back, he's a little hesitant on pushing the envelope too hard." Stoudemire had said in April 2008, "It's more than a year-round grind. It's last year and the year before that and the year before that. It's really been like a three-year-round basketball circuit."
, last wore #1 the previous season.
Stoudemire joined the United States national team once and began practicing with the international team in July, but was dropped from the squad for its trip to Asia because coach Mike Krzyzewski believed he needed a proper chance to fully recover from his knee injuries.
On February 18, 2007, Stoudemire appeared in the 2007 NBA All-Star Game
, his second NBA All-Star Game appearance. He scored 29 points and grabbed 9 rebounds, and came in second in MVP voting to winner Kobe Bryant
. He had previously announced that he would make the All Star Game in his first season back after his knee recovered.
During the 2007 NBA Playoffs
, in a series against the San Antonio Spurs
, Stoudemire accused Manu Ginóbili
and Bruce Bowen
of being "dirty" players. Stoudemire was suspended for Game 5 for leaving the bench area after an altercation between guard Steve Nash and Robert Horry
. The Suns lost to the Spurs despite Stoudemire averaging 25 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks throughout the series. The Suns were ousted in six games. Stoudemire finished the season averaging 20.4 points and 9.6 rebounds which is to this day a career high. Stoudemire was selected to the All-NBA First Team.
Stoudemire led the Suns in scoring (25.2 points per game) and rebounds (9.1 per game) in the 2007–08 season. He made the 2008 NBA All-Star team and was named to the 2nd team on the All-NBA Team
. Stoudemire also adjusted well to playing with Shaquille O'Neal
, who the Suns had acquired in February. The Suns however faltered in the playoffs, again losing to their rivals the San Antonio Spurs
. The Suns blew a big lead in game one of the series, and seemed to never recover, losing the series 4–1 to the Spurs. Stoudemire averaged 23 points in the series. After the season, Suns coach Mike D'Antoni
left the team to coach the New York Knicks
.
With new coach Terry Porter
, the Suns game turned more to an emphasis on defense and a more controlled offense. The Suns offensive slowdown affected Stoudemire, whose scoring average dropped about 4 points from the previous season, although he was still leading the team in scoring and rebounding. The Suns also struggled with Terry Porter's system, and were just 28–23 and had lost their last five games just before the 2009 NBA All-Star game. Stoudemire started for the winning Western Conference in the 2009 NBA All-Star Game
.
On February 19, in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers
, Stoudemire suffered a detached retina, although he may have injured it earlier as he had been bothered by the same eye even before this game. He had injured the same eye in preseason, although this injury involved a partially torn iris
, with no damage to his retina. He said then that he would have to wear protective goggles for the rest of his career, but stopped wearing them after seven games. Stoudemire underwent eye surgery to repair the retina. The recovery took eight weeks, which forced him to miss the remainder of the regular season. He announced that he would wear protective goggles when he returned to play the following season.
In the season, Stoudemire was once again named to the All-Star team. During the season, Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic
reported that the Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers
discussed a trade that would have sent Stoudemire to Cleveland to pair up with LeBron James
; the deal, however, never went through. Stoudemire would eventually lead the Suns to a 54–28 record, clinching the third seed in the Western Conference. Stoudemire finished the season averaging 23 points and 9 rebounds on 56% shooting. The Suns would defeat the Portland Trail Blazers
4–2 during the first round of the playoffs and beat the San Antonio Spurs
4–0 in the Conference Semifinals, to meet the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers
in the Conference Finals. After dropping the first two games, Stoudemire would score 42 points in game 3 and 21 in game 4, to help the Suns tie the series 2–2. After Ron Artest
's buzzer beater in game 5 and Kobe Bryant
's 37 points in game 6, the Suns lost the series 4–2.
agreed in principle to a contract estimated to be worth around $99.7 million over five years. On the first day that free agents were allowed to officially sign, the Knicks formally introduced Stoudemire at Madison Square Garden
. There Stoudemire proclaimed "the Knicks are back!" referring to the team's lack of success the past few years. With the Knicks, Stoudemire was reunited with head coach Mike D'Antoni, who had coached him with the Suns. On December 15, 2010, in a loss against the Boston Celtics
, Stoudemire set a franchise record with his ninth straight 30-point game. On December 17, 2010, Stoudemire set a franchise record with his ninth straight game shooting 50 percent or better from the field. On January 27, 2011, Stoudemire was named a starter on the Eastern Conference All-Star Team alongside LeBron James
, Dwyane Wade
, Derrick Rose
, and Dwight Howard
. He became the first Knick player to start in the game since Patrick Ewing
. In the game Stoudemire dropped 29 points, which tied him with LeBron James
for most on the Eastern Conference team. On February 22, 2011 the Knicks made a 3-team trade with the Denver Nuggets
and Minnesota Timberwolves
that sent Nuggets superstar Carmelo Anthony
to the Knicks along with the Nuggets' starting point guard
Chauncey Billups
. In 2011, the Knicks made the playoffs for the first time since 2004. Stoudemire was injured during the playoffs. In game 3, Stoudemire attempted a Willis Reed
-like comeback by playing in the game despite a bad back. In the first round of the playoffs, the Knicks were swept by the Boston Celtics
. Stoudemire ended up having one of the best seasons in his career, averaging 25.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2 blocks and a career high 2.6 assists. Stoudemire developed a mid-range game and shot a career high 43% from three point range. Stoudemire was named to the All-NBA Second Team.
2011 NBA lockout
During the 2011 NBA lockout
, Stoudemire served as a player representative for the Knicks. Stoudemire represented the Knicks along with teammates Carmelo Anthony
, Chauncey Billups
, Toney Douglas
and Roger Mason, Jr.
, who was Vice President of the Players Union. Stoudemire considered playing overseas for the Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C. due to his Jewish heritage; instead Stoudemire opted to stay with the players union. Stoudemire appeared on ESPN First Take
, where he promoted his new sneaker line, the Nike
Air Max Sweep Thru. The conversation quickly veered to the NBA lockout, and Stoudemire predicted the lockout would end on November 14, 2011; however, his prediction was wrong. During the lockout, Stoudemire has trained and taken history seminars at Florida International University
. Stoudemire has also dabbled in acting, appearing in the second to last episode of Entourage
.
team, named Team STAT. Stoudemire played Wheel of Fortune during its NBA week and donated all his winnings to the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Greater Phoenix area. In November 2008, Stoudemire received the NBA's Community Assist Award, for his work with his Each 1, Teach 1 Foundation, and its efforts to provide safe drinking water in Sierra Leone
by funding the building of water wells in impoverished villages. Stoudemire visited the country in summer 2008, making visits to water well sites and meeting with President Ernest Bai Koroma
and the rest of the cabinet. In 2010 Stoudemire hosted the first Amar'e Stoudemire Basketball Academy in Mali
.
.
Stoudemire's mother has "mentioned that somewhere back in her lineage there might be some Jewish roots". In a 2010 interview, Stoudemire said: "I have been aware since my youth that I am a Hebrew through my mother, and that is something that has played a subtle but important role in my development." He visited Israel
that year, saying he intended "to get a better understanding of my heritage."
in the fall of 2011, it was designed with the help of Rachel Roy
. Stoudemire described the line as "courtside apparel for the fashion-forward female". Stoudemire also has his own record label named Hypocalypto and has signed rappers from Phoenix
to Atlanta. With the label Stoudemire has also worked with TI
. Stoudemire was featured in the film MacGruber
.
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 82 || 71 || 31.3 || .472 || .200 || .661 || 8.8 || 1.0 || .8 || 1.1 || 13.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 55 || 53 || 36.8 || .475 || .200 || .713 || 9.0 || 1.4 || 1.2 || 1.6 || 20.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 80 || 80 || 36.1 || .559 || .188 || .733 || 8.9 || 1.6 || 1.0 || 1.6 || 26.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 3 || 3 || 16.7 || .333 || .000 || .889 || 5.3 || .7 || .3 || 1.0 || 8.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 82 || 78 || 32.8 || .575 || .000 || .781 || 9.6 || 1.0 || .9 || 1.3 || 20.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 79 || 79 || 33.9 || .590 || .161 || .805 || 9.1 || 1.5 || .8 || 2.1 || 25.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 53 || 53 || 36.8 || .539 || .429 || .835 || 8.1 || 2.0 || .9 || 1.1 || 21.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 82 || 82 || 34.6 || .557 || .167 || .771 || 8.9 || 1.0 || .6 || 1.0 || 23.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| New York
| 78 || 78 || 36.8 || .502 || .435 || .792 || 8.2 || 2.6 || .9 || 1.9 || 25.3
|-class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 594 || 577 || 34.6 || .537 || .245 || .762 || 8.8 || 1.5 || .9 || 1.5 || 21.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| All-Star
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 6 || 3 || 22.8 || .571 || .400 || .750 || 7.5 || 1.2 || .7 || .7 || 18.8
| style="text-align:left;"| 2003
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 6 || 6 || 33.8 || .523 || 1.000 || .571 || 7.8 || 1.2 || 1.7 || 1.5 || 14.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 15 || 15 || 40.1 || .539 || .000 || .781 || 10.7 || 1.2 || .7 || 2.0 || 29.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 10 || 10 || 34.3 || .523 || .333 || .769 || 12.1 || .6 || 1.3 || 1.9 || 25.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 5 || 5 || 40.8 || .485 || .250 || .633 || 9.0|| .4 || 1.4 || 2.4 || 23.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 16 || 16 || 36.5 || .519 || .000 || .754 || 6.6|| 1.1 || .7 || 1.5 || 22.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2011
| style="text-align:left;"| New York
| 4 || 4 || 33.5 || .382 || .000 || .667 || 7.8 || 1.8 || .25 || .75 || 14.5
|-class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 56 || 56 || 36.9 || .514 || .200 || .745 || 9.1 || 1.0 || 0.9 || 1.7 || 23.3
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who plays as a power forward and center for the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
.
Stoudemire played high school basketball for six different schools, before graduating from Cypress Creek High School
Cypress Creek High School
Cypress Creek High School can refer to:*Cypress Creek High School *Cypress Creek High School...
and declaring for the NBA draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
as a prep-to-pro player. In high school, Stoudemire won several honors most notably being selected as Mr. Basketball
Mr. Basketball
Mr. Basketball is an award given to the person chosen as the best high school boys basketball player in a specific U.S. state....
for the state of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Stoudemire initially committed to the University of Memphis. He was selected in the first round with the ninth overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft
2002 NBA Draft
The 2002 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2002 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting 57 amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from non-North...
, Stoudemire spent the first eight years of his career with the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
, before signing with the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. Stoudemire is listed at 6 in 10 in (208.28 cm) and 240 pounds (108.9 kg).
Stoudemire is known for having a relatively successful career despite having chronic knee problems and having microfracture surgery
Microfracture surgery
Microfracture surgery is one of the articular cartilage repair surgical techniques that works by creating tiny fractures in the underlying bone. This causes new cartilage to develop from a so-called super-clot...
on his knees. Stoudemire won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award
NBA Rookie of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the top rookie of the regular season. The winner receives the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, which is named in honor of the Philadelphia Warriors head...
in 2003, made six appearances in the NBA All-Star Game, was a first-team All-NBA
All-NBA Team
The All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season. The voting is conducted by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. The team has been selected in every season of the...
selection in 2007, and won a bronze medal with the United States men's national basketball team at the 2004 Olympic Games
Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Helliniko Olympic Indoor Arena in Athens, Greece for the preliminary rounds, with the latter stages being held in the Olympic Indoor Hall at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex....
.
Stoudemire's first name had previously been listed in the Phoenix Suns media guide as Amaré or Amare, but it was changed to Amar'e in October 2008. Stoudemire told NBA.com that his name had always been spelled Amar'e, but the media had been spelling it incorrectly since he joined the NBA.
Stoudemire stated he has Jewish roots in his mother's family heritage. Stoudemire has visited Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and is one of the few players in the league with Jewish ties.
Early life and career
Stoudemire was born in Lake Wales, FloridaLake Wales, Florida
Lake Wales is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,194 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 11,802 . It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area...
a small city within an hour's drive of Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. Stoudemire's parents, Carrie and Hazell, divorced at a young age. Together they had a son, Hazzell Jr., as well as Amar'e. Stoudemire's mother did agricultural work, picking oranges in Florida, but she migrated north to Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
during the fall to pick apples. Upon divorcing Hazell, she met another man, Artis Wilmore. Together they had a child, Marwan, who became Stoudemire's half brother. Hazell died of a heart attack when Stoudemire was 12, and his mother was in and out of prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
for things such as petty theft and forgery during that time. Because his mother was in and out of jail, Stoudemire had other outside influences to help guide him. He occasionally stayed with a policeman named Burney Hayes; he also lived with a man named Travis King, who coached Fastbreak USA, Stoudemire's AAU
AAU
-Education:* Aalborg University, in Denmark* Academy of Art University,in San Francisco* Addis Ababa University, in Ethiopia* Allied American University, brand used by Allied Schools in California, United States* Alpen-Adria-University of Klagenfurt, in Austria...
squad, as well as a minister named Bill Williams. As a result of moving in-and-out, and his mother's problems with the law, he attended six different high schools in two different states. Due to all the transfers he missed his entire junior year of basketball. Stoudemire graduated from Cypress Creek High School
Cypress Creek High School (Orlando, Florida)
Cypress Creek High School is located in south Orlando, Florida and serves students in grades 9 through 12.Cypress Creek is an IB World School with an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program...
in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. He told Isaac Perry in an article for Dime Magazine
Dime Magazine
Dime Magazine is an American basketball magazine that began circulation in 2001. Dime publishes six issues a year for its worldwide readership, as well as a handful of editions of Dime China, a Chinese-language version consisting of regular Dime content translated from English and original content...
that what kept him going in that time period was God and the words of rapper Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
. Apart from basketball, Stoudemire excelled in football. Stoudemire was coached by his father in his Pop Warner football team as a child and saw himself as a star receiver for the University of Miami
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
, Florida
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
or Florida State
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
. Growing up Stoudemire rooted for Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
who played for his hometown Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
.
He did not start playing organized basketball until he was 14. Stoudemire only played two years of high school-level basketball, but in those two years he was named the MVP of the Nike Summer League
Nike Summer League
The Nike Summer League is a defunct pre-season collegiate basketball tournament in the Philippines sponsored by Nike. Its first season started in 2006. The tournament was last held in 2009...
. In his senior year Stoudemire averaged 29.1 points, 15 rebounds, 6.1 blocked shots, and 2.1 steals per game. Stoudemire obtained several honors in high school. He was selected to play in the McDonald's All-American Game, won Florida Mr. Basketball
Florida Mr. Basketball
Each year the Florida Mr. Basketball award is given to the person chosen as the best high school boys basketball player in the U.S. state of Florida.The winner of the Mr. Basketball Award, sponsored by Florida Dairy Farmers, Inc...
, USA Today All-USA Basketball First Team, and was an Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Sentinel
The Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...
Florida High School Player of the Year. In high school Stoudemire noted that his biggest goal was to make it as a NBA player. Stoudemire through high school was able to make good grades and committed to John Calipari
John Calipari
John Calipari is an American basketball coach. Since April 2009, he has been the men's head coach at the University of Kentucky....
and the University of Memphis
University of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
. However, he later de-committed and declared for the NBA draft because of his desire to help his family quickly. The Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
decided on him with the ninth pick in the 2002 NBA Draft
2002 NBA Draft
The 2002 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2002 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting 57 amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from non-North...
due to the need of an interior presence, something they lacked since trading Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley
Charles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
. Phoenix was the only team that year to select a high school player in the first round.
Early years
In his rookie season, Stoudemire averaged 13.5 points and 8.8 reboundsRebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
per game, with a season high of 38 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
on December 30, 2002, the highest score by a prep-to-pro player until broken a year later by LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
. Stoudemire was selected to the Rookie squad in the Rookie Challenge. In the game, Stoudemire recorded 18 points, 7 rebounds and 4 steals. Stoudemire won the NBA's Rookie of the Year award
NBA Rookie of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the top rookie of the regular season. The winner receives the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, which is named in honor of the Philadelphia Warriors head...
, beating out Yao Ming
Yao Ming
Yao Ming is a retired Chinese professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association...
and Caron Butler
Caron Butler
James Caron Butler, widely known as Caron Butler , is an American professional basketball player who most recently played at small forward for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks.-Early life:...
and becoming the first player drafted out of high school to win the award. Stoudemire also was selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. The Suns, led by Stoudemire, Stephon Marbury
Stephon Marbury
Stephon Xavier Marbury is an American professional basketball player.The , point guard was selected out of the Georgia Institute of Technology by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 4th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, but was traded shortly thereafter to the Minnesota Timberwolves.He was an NBA...
, Shawn Marion
Shawn Marion
Shawn Dwayne Marion is an American professional basketball player currently with the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. Born in Waukegan, Illinois, Marion attended high school in Clarksville, Tennessee. Before transferring to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Marion...
, Penny Hardaway
Penny Hardaway
Anfernee Deon "Penny" Hardaway is a former American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association , specializing as a small forward, shooting guard, and point guard. His most productive years came in his days as a member of the Orlando Magic as well as the early...
and Joe Johnson
Joe Johnson
-Sports:* Joe Johnson * Joseph Johnson * Joe Lee Johnson, NASCAR driver* Joe Johnson * Joe Johnson * Joe Johnson , Scottish footballer born 1920...
, made it to the playoffs but were defeated in six games by the eventual champions, the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
.
The following season, Stoudemire improved statistically, but his team stumbled to a 29–53 record, and point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
Stephon Marbury
Stephon Marbury
Stephon Xavier Marbury is an American professional basketball player.The , point guard was selected out of the Georgia Institute of Technology by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 4th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, but was traded shortly thereafter to the Minnesota Timberwolves.He was an NBA...
was traded to the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. During the season Stoudemire had a 10-block game against the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
; he recorded six blocks in the first quarter alone. During the summer of 2004, Stoudemire was selected to play for the eventual Bronze Medal-winning United States national team in the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
. However, head coach Larry Brown
Larry Brown (basketball)
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown is an American basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as head coach of the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Bobcats....
declined to give him significant playing time.
During the 2004–05 NBA season, Stoudemire teamed up with point guard Steve Nash
Steve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
who the Suns traded for, to lead the Suns to a 62–20 record. Averaging 26 points per game that year and achieving a new career high of 50 points against the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
on January 2, 2005, he was selected to his first National Basketball Association All-Star Game
National Basketball Association All-Star Game
The National Basketball Association staged its first All-Star Game in the Boston Garden on March 2, 1951. From that year on, the game has matched the best players in the Eastern Conference with the best players in the Western Conference....
as a reserve forward. Stoudemire participated in the slam dunk contest, but did not win the competition. Stoudemire and Nash ran a pick-and-roll many have compared to John Stockton
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
and Karl Malone
Karl Malone
Karl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
. In the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, Stoudemire performed magnificently, averaging 37 points per game, but the Suns lost in 5 games.
Knee problems
During the 2005–06 NBA pre-season, knee cartilage damage was discovered and Stoudemire underwent microfracture surgeryMicrofracture surgery
Microfracture surgery is one of the articular cartilage repair surgical techniques that works by creating tiny fractures in the underlying bone. This causes new cartilage to develop from a so-called super-clot...
on October 18, 2005. Initially, the Suns thought he would return by mid-February, but his rehab took longer than expected. Stoudemire, however, scored 20 points in his return against the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
, but went scoreless his third game against the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
on March 27, 2006. On March 28 it was announced that he would likely miss the rest of the regular season due to ongoing stiffness in both knees. His manager stated that the comeback came a little too soon, and Stoudemire needed to do more rehab. Stoudemire's rehabilitation, which was led by Suns trainer Aaron Nelson and Dr. Micheal Clark, the president and CEO of the National Academy of Sports Medicine
National Academy of Sports Medicine
The National Academy of Sports Medicine sells study courses and examinations for personal trainer certification and funds fitness research and education. NASM was founded in Chicago, Illinois, USA in 1987. NASM develops continuing education in the form of study courses for professional athletic...
(NASM) went well as he stated during the rehab that he was pretty explosive and he gradually gained his strength back.
Stoudemire attended the 2006 USA Basketball
USA Basketball
USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...
camp in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
, although he ultimately did not play in the 2006 FIBA World Championship
2006 FIBA World Championship
The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee...
. His athletic trainer
Athletic trainer
An athletic trainer is a certified, health care professional who practices in the field of sports medicine. Athletic training has been recognized by the American Medical Association as an allied health care profession since 1990....
s stated that he had no swelling since his most recent surgery and his strength and flexibility have been "better than ever: almost like superman".
Stoudemire played in the FIBA Americas Championship 2007, but withdrew from the national team for the 2008 Olympics
Basketball at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Basketball contests at the 2008 Olympic Games were held from August 9, 2008 to August 24, 2008. Competitions were held at the Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China...
. Jerry Colangelo
Jerry Colangelo
Jerry Colangelo , is an American businessman and sports executive.He formerly owned the Phoenix Suns of the NBA, the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, the Arizona Sandsharks of the Continental Indoor Soccer League, the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League and the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major...
, managing director for the national team, said, "Amar'e has pulled himself out of consideration for the roster and that's predicated on, despite the fact that he's had an injury-free year coming back, he's a little hesitant on pushing the envelope too hard." Stoudemire had said in April 2008, "It's more than a year-round grind. It's last year and the year before that and the year before that. It's really been like a three-year-round basketball circuit."
Injuries and playoff defeats
Before the 2006–07 season, Stoudemire changed his jersey number from 32 to 1. Dijon ThompsonDijon Thompson
Dijon Lynn Thompson is an American professional basketball player. While he played mainly at the shooting guard position in his early career, he proved he can also play as a small forward, during his European years.-College:Thompson was a standout at UCLA having an all time scoring average of 15.6...
, last wore #1 the previous season.
Stoudemire joined the United States national team once and began practicing with the international team in July, but was dropped from the squad for its trip to Asia because coach Mike Krzyzewski believed he needed a proper chance to fully recover from his knee injuries.
On February 18, 2007, Stoudemire appeared in the 2007 NBA All-Star Game
2007 NBA All-Star Game
The 2007 NBA All-Star Game was played on Sunday, February 18, 2007 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas's Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It was the 56th annual All-Star Game. It was the first time the All-Star Game was played in a city without an NBA franchise and...
, his second NBA All-Star Game appearance. He scored 29 points and grabbed 9 rebounds, and came in second in MVP voting to winner Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
. He had previously announced that he would make the All Star Game in his first season back after his knee recovered.
During the 2007 NBA Playoffs
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
, in a series against the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
, Stoudemire accused Manu Ginóbili
Manu Ginobili
Emanuel David "Manu" Ginóbili is an Argentine professional basketball player. Coming from a family of professional basketball players, he is a member of the Argentine men's national basketball team and the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association .Ginóbili spent the early part of...
and Bruce Bowen
Bruce Bowen
Bruce Bowen Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. The 6'7", 200-lb. Bowen played small forward and graduated from Edison High School and Cal State Fullerton...
of being "dirty" players. Stoudemire was suspended for Game 5 for leaving the bench area after an altercation between guard Steve Nash and Robert Horry
Robert Horry
Robert Keith Horry Jr. is a retired American basketball player and current sports commentator. He played 16 seasons in the National Basketball Association , winning seven championships, the most of any player not to have played on the 1960s Boston Celtics...
. The Suns lost to the Spurs despite Stoudemire averaging 25 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks throughout the series. The Suns were ousted in six games. Stoudemire finished the season averaging 20.4 points and 9.6 rebounds which is to this day a career high. Stoudemire was selected to the All-NBA First Team.
Stoudemire led the Suns in scoring (25.2 points per game) and rebounds (9.1 per game) in the 2007–08 season. He made the 2008 NBA All-Star team and was named to the 2nd team on the All-NBA Team
All-NBA Team
The All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season. The voting is conducted by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. The team has been selected in every season of the...
. Stoudemire also adjusted well to playing with Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
, who the Suns had acquired in February. The Suns however faltered in the playoffs, again losing to their rivals the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
. The Suns blew a big lead in game one of the series, and seemed to never recover, losing the series 4–1 to the Spurs. Stoudemire averaged 23 points in the series. After the season, Suns coach Mike D'Antoni
Mike D'Antoni
Michael Andrew "Mike" D'Antoni is an Italian-American former basketball player and is currently the head coach of the NBA's New York Knicks. While head coach of the Phoenix Suns, he won NBA Coach of the Year honors for the 2004–05 NBA season after the Suns posted 33 more wins than the previous...
left the team to coach the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
.
With new coach Terry Porter
Terry Porter
Terry Porter is an American professional basketball coach and former player in the National Basketball Association . A native of Wisconsin, he played college basketball at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point before being drafted 24th by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1985 NBA Draft...
, the Suns game turned more to an emphasis on defense and a more controlled offense. The Suns offensive slowdown affected Stoudemire, whose scoring average dropped about 4 points from the previous season, although he was still leading the team in scoring and rebounding. The Suns also struggled with Terry Porter's system, and were just 28–23 and had lost their last five games just before the 2009 NBA All-Star game. Stoudemire started for the winning Western Conference in the 2009 NBA All-Star Game
2009 NBA All-Star Game
The 2009 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game played on February 15, 2009 at US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona, home of the Phoenix Suns. The game was the 58th edition of the National Basketball Association All-Star Game and was played during the 2008–09 NBA season...
.
On February 19, in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, Stoudemire suffered a detached retina, although he may have injured it earlier as he had been bothered by the same eye even before this game. He had injured the same eye in preseason, although this injury involved a partially torn iris
Iris (anatomy)
The iris is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. "Eye color" is the color of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown. In some cases it can be hazel , grey, violet, or even pink...
, with no damage to his retina. He said then that he would have to wear protective goggles for the rest of his career, but stopped wearing them after seven games. Stoudemire underwent eye surgery to repair the retina. The recovery took eight weeks, which forced him to miss the remainder of the regular season. He announced that he would wear protective goggles when he returned to play the following season.
In the season, Stoudemire was once again named to the All-Star team. During the season, Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic
The Arizona Republic
The Arizona Republic is a daily newspaper published in Phoenix. Circulated throughout Arizona, it is the state's largest newspaper. Since 2000, it has been owned by the Gannett newspaper chain. It was ranked tenth in US daily newspapers by circulation in 2007.-Early years:The newspaper was founded...
reported that the Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
discussed a trade that would have sent Stoudemire to Cleveland to pair up with LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
; the deal, however, never went through. Stoudemire would eventually lead the Suns to a 54–28 record, clinching the third seed in the Western Conference. Stoudemire finished the season averaging 23 points and 9 rebounds on 56% shooting. The Suns would defeat the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
4–2 during the first round of the playoffs and beat the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
4–0 in the Conference Semifinals, to meet the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in the Conference Finals. After dropping the first two games, Stoudemire would score 42 points in game 3 and 21 in game 4, to help the Suns tie the series 2–2. After Ron Artest
Ron Artest
Metta World Peace is an American professional basketball player and rapper who is currently with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. World Peace gained a reputation as one of the league's premier defenders as he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2004...
's buzzer beater in game 5 and Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
's 37 points in game 6, the Suns lost the series 4–2.
New York Knicks (2010–present)
On June 30, 2010, Stoudemire opted out of his contract with the Phoenix Suns, which made him an unrestricted free agent. On July 5, 2010, Stoudemire and the New York KnicksNew York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
agreed in principle to a contract estimated to be worth around $99.7 million over five years. On the first day that free agents were allowed to officially sign, the Knicks formally introduced Stoudemire at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. There Stoudemire proclaimed "the Knicks are back!" referring to the team's lack of success the past few years. With the Knicks, Stoudemire was reunited with head coach Mike D'Antoni, who had coached him with the Suns. On December 15, 2010, in a loss against the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
, Stoudemire set a franchise record with his ninth straight 30-point game. On December 17, 2010, Stoudemire set a franchise record with his ninth straight game shooting 50 percent or better from the field. On January 27, 2011, Stoudemire was named a starter on the Eastern Conference All-Star Team alongside LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
, Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
, Derrick Rose
Derrick Rose
Derrick Martell Rose is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association ....
, and Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard
Dwight David Howard is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association . Howard, who usually plays center but can also play power forward, had an outstanding high school career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy...
. He became the first Knick player to start in the game since Patrick Ewing
Patrick Ewing
Patrick Aloysius Ewing Sr. is a Jamaican-American retired Hall of Fame basketball player and current assistant coach for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. He played most of his career with the NBA's New York Knicks as their starting center and played briefly with the Seattle...
. In the game Stoudemire dropped 29 points, which tied him with LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
for most on the Eastern Conference team. On February 22, 2011 the Knicks made a 3-team trade with the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
and Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
that sent Nuggets superstar Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
to the Knicks along with the Nuggets' starting point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Ray Billups is an American professional basketball point guard for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association . He has also played for Team USA. Billups won the NBA Finals MVP in 2004, helping the Detroit Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, and was given the...
. In 2011, the Knicks made the playoffs for the first time since 2004. Stoudemire was injured during the playoffs. In game 3, Stoudemire attempted a Willis Reed
Willis Reed
Willis Reed, Jr. is a retired American basketball player, coach and manager of basketball teams. He spent his entire professional playing career with the New York Knicks. In 1982, his outstanding record and achievements were recognized by his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall...
-like comeback by playing in the game despite a bad back. In the first round of the playoffs, the Knicks were swept by the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. Stoudemire ended up having one of the best seasons in his career, averaging 25.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2 blocks and a career high 2.6 assists. Stoudemire developed a mid-range game and shot a career high 43% from three point range. Stoudemire was named to the All-NBA Second Team.
2011 NBA lockout
During the 2011 NBA lockout
2011 NBA lockout
The 2011 NBA lockout is the fourth lockout in the history of the National Basketball Association . The owners began the work stoppage at 12:01 am EDT on July 1, 2011. The main issues dividing the owners and the players are revenue sharing and the structure of the salary cap...
, Stoudemire served as a player representative for the Knicks. Stoudemire represented the Knicks along with teammates Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
, Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Ray Billups is an American professional basketball point guard for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association . He has also played for Team USA. Billups won the NBA Finals MVP in 2004, helping the Detroit Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, and was given the...
, Toney Douglas
Toney Douglas
Toney Bernard Douglas is an American professional basketball player who plays for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association...
and Roger Mason, Jr.
Roger Mason, Jr.
Roger Philip Mason, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who last played for the New York Knicks of the NBA.-Early career:...
, who was Vice President of the Players Union. Stoudemire considered playing overseas for the Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C. due to his Jewish heritage; instead Stoudemire opted to stay with the players union. Stoudemire appeared on ESPN First Take
ESPN First Take
ESPN First Take is an American morning sports talk program on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. The show was formerly known as Cold Pizza. The official switch was made on May 7, 2007. Two back-to-back two-hour episodes air each weekday from Monday through Friday, with the live episode airing from 10 a.m...
, where he promoted his new sneaker line, the Nike
Nike
Nike may refer to:* Nike , Greek goddess who personifies victory**The Nike of Samothrace, an ancient statue of the goddess Nike* Nike, Inc., major U.S. manufacturer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment...
Air Max Sweep Thru. The conversation quickly veered to the NBA lockout, and Stoudemire predicted the lockout would end on November 14, 2011; however, his prediction was wrong. During the lockout, Stoudemire has trained and taken history seminars at Florida International University
Florida International University
Florida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park...
. Stoudemire has also dabbled in acting, appearing in the second to last episode of Entourage
Entourage
An entourage is an informal group or band of people who are closely associated with a famous, notorious or otherwise notable individual...
.
Philanthropy
Stoudemire started the Each One, Teach One foundation in 2003. Stoudemire also funded his very own AAUAAU
-Education:* Aalborg University, in Denmark* Academy of Art University,in San Francisco* Addis Ababa University, in Ethiopia* Allied American University, brand used by Allied Schools in California, United States* Alpen-Adria-University of Klagenfurt, in Austria...
team, named Team STAT. Stoudemire played Wheel of Fortune during its NBA week and donated all his winnings to the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Greater Phoenix area. In November 2008, Stoudemire received the NBA's Community Assist Award, for his work with his Each 1, Teach 1 Foundation, and its efforts to provide safe drinking water in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
by funding the building of water wells in impoverished villages. Stoudemire visited the country in summer 2008, making visits to water well sites and meeting with President Ernest Bai Koroma
Ernest Bai Koroma
Ernest Bai Koroma is the fourth and current President of Sierra Leone. He was sworn in as President on 17 September 2007 at the State House in the capital Freetown, shortly after being declared the winner of a tense run-off in the 2007 Sierra Leone presidential election with 54.6% of the vote over...
and the rest of the cabinet. In 2010 Stoudemire hosted the first Amar'e Stoudemire Basketball Academy in Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
.
Personal life
Stoudemire has two children with a past girlfriend. One is a boy name Amar'e Jr. and the other a girl named Aré. In 2011, Stoudemire was in a relationship with R&B artist CiaraCiara
Ciara Princess Harris , known mononymously as Ciara, is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress and fashion model. Born in Austin, Texas, she traveled around the world during her childhood, only to land in Atlanta, Georgia where she met music producer, Jazze Pha...
.
Stoudemire's mother has "mentioned that somewhere back in her lineage there might be some Jewish roots". In a 2010 interview, Stoudemire said: "I have been aware since my youth that I am a Hebrew through my mother, and that is something that has played a subtle but important role in my development." He visited Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
that year, saying he intended "to get a better understanding of my heritage."
Other ventures
In 2011, Stoudemire started his own clothing line which is set to launch at Macy'sMacy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
in the fall of 2011, it was designed with the help of Rachel Roy
Rachel Roy
Rachel Roy is an American fashion designer, and philanthropist who was born and raised in California. She grew up and attended Seaside High School along the Monterey Peninsula in Northern California. Rachel attended Columbia Union College, where she majored in liberal arts...
. Stoudemire described the line as "courtside apparel for the fashion-forward female". Stoudemire also has his own record label named Hypocalypto and has signed rappers from Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
to Atlanta. With the label Stoudemire has also worked with TI
TI
TI, Ti, ti or T.I. may refer to:* Acronis True Image, a disk imaging program* Cordyline fruticosa, a plant known as Ti by the Polynesians* Taiwan independence, a political movement* Thermal instability* Thermodynamic integration...
. Stoudemire was featured in the film MacGruber
MacGruber
MacGruber was a recurring sketch on the NBC television series Saturday Night Live, first appearing on the show in January 2007. The sketch stars Will Forte as special operations agent MacGruber, who is tasked in each episode with deactivating a ticking bomb but becomes distracted by personal...
.
Awards/honors
- NBA Rookie of the Year: 2003
- NBA All-Star: 2005, 2007–11
- All-NBA First Team: 2007
- All-NBA Second Team: 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011
- NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2003
- NBA All-Star Rookie Challenge MVP: 2004
- Orlando Sentinel Florida High School Player of the Year:2002
- Florida’s Mr. Basketball:2002
- USA Today All-USA Basketball First Team:2002
- Prep Stars Recruiter’s Handbook #1 High School Player in the United States:2002
- NBA’s Community Assist Award:2008
Regular season
|-| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
| 82 || 71 || 31.3 || .472 || .200 || .661 || 8.8 || 1.0 || .8 || 1.1 || 13.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 55 || 53 || 36.8 || .475 || .200 || .713 || 9.0 || 1.4 || 1.2 || 1.6 || 20.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 80 || 80 || 36.1 || .559 || .188 || .733 || 8.9 || 1.6 || 1.0 || 1.6 || 26.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 3 || 3 || 16.7 || .333 || .000 || .889 || 5.3 || .7 || .3 || 1.0 || 8.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 82 || 78 || 32.8 || .575 || .000 || .781 || 9.6 || 1.0 || .9 || 1.3 || 20.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 79 || 79 || 33.9 || .590 || .161 || .805 || 9.1 || 1.5 || .8 || 2.1 || 25.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 53 || 53 || 36.8 || .539 || .429 || .835 || 8.1 || 2.0 || .9 || 1.1 || 21.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 82 || 82 || 34.6 || .557 || .167 || .771 || 8.9 || 1.0 || .6 || 1.0 || 23.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| New York
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 78 || 78 || 36.8 || .502 || .435 || .792 || 8.2 || 2.6 || .9 || 1.9 || 25.3
|-class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 594 || 577 || 34.6 || .537 || .245 || .762 || 8.8 || 1.5 || .9 || 1.5 || 21.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| All-Star
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 6 || 3 || 22.8 || .571 || .400 || .750 || 7.5 || 1.2 || .7 || .7 || 18.8
Playoffs
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2003
2003 NBA Playoffs
The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2002-03 NBA season. This postseason was notable for being the first time all series were conducted in a best-of-7 format. It was also the only time in playoff history that no team was swept in a first-round series....
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
| 6 || 6 || 33.8 || .523 || 1.000 || .571 || 7.8 || 1.2 || 1.7 || 1.5 || 14.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005
2005 NBA Playoffs
The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 15 || 15 || 40.1 || .539 || .000 || .781 || 10.7 || 1.2 || .7 || 2.0 || 29.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 10 || 10 || 34.3 || .523 || .333 || .769 || 12.1 || .6 || 1.3 || 1.9 || 25.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008
2008 NBA Playoffs
The 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2....
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 5 || 5 || 40.8 || .485 || .250 || .633 || 9.0|| .4 || 1.4 || 2.4 || 23.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010
2010 NBA Playoffs
The 2010 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2009–10 season. The playoffs started on April 17, 2010 with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix
| 16 || 16 || 36.5 || .519 || .000 || .754 || 6.6|| 1.1 || .7 || 1.5 || 22.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2011
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
| style="text-align:left;"| New York
| 4 || 4 || 33.5 || .382 || .000 || .667 || 7.8 || 1.8 || .25 || .75 || 14.5
|-class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 56 || 56 || 36.9 || .514 || .200 || .745 || 9.1 || 1.0 || 0.9 || 1.7 || 23.3
External links
- Video interview with Amare Stoudemire @ fiba.com