Amar'e Stoudemire facts for kids

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Amar'e Stoudemire

Stoudemire with the Phoenix Suns in 2009
Personal information
Born	(1982-11-16) November 16, 1982 (age 42) Lake Wales, Florida, U.S.
Nationality	American / Israeli
High school	Lake Wales (Lake Wales, Florida) Mount Zion Christian Academy (Durham, North Carolina) Cypress Creek (Orlando, Florida)
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	245 lb (111 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	2002 / Round: 1 / Pick: 9th overall
Selected by the Phoenix Suns
Pro career	2002–2020
Career history
2002–2010	Phoenix Suns
2010–2015	New York Knicks
2015	Dallas Mavericks
2015–2016	Miami Heat
2016–2017, 2018–2019	Hapoel Jerusalem
2019	Fujian Sturgeons
2020	Maccabi Tel Aviv
Career highlights and awards
6× NBA All-Star (2005, 2007–2011) All-NBA First Team (2007) 4× All-NBA Second Team (2005, 2008, 2010, 2011) NBA Rookie of the Year (2003) NBA All-Rookie First Team (2003) No. 32 retired by Phoenix Suns 2× Israeli Basketball Premier League champion (2017, 2020) Israeli Basketball Premier League Finals MVP (2020) Israeli Cup winner (2019) 2× Israeli Basketball Premier League All-Star (2017, 2019) All-EuroCup Second Team (2017) Israeli League Cup winner (2016) First-team Parade All-American (2002) McDonald's All-American (2002) Florida Mr. Basketball (2002)
Career NBA statistics
Points	15,994 (18.9 ppg)
Rebound	6,632 (7.8 rpg)
Blocks	1,054 (1.2 bpg)
Medals Men's Basketball Representing the  United States Olympic Games Bronze 2004 Athens Team FIBA Americas Championship Gold 2007 Las Vegas Team

Amar'e Carsares Stoudemire (born November 16, 1982) is an American-Israeli professional basketball coach and former player. He recently worked as a player development assistant for the Brooklyn Nets in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Amar'e will be honored in the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2025.

He won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 2003 with the Phoenix Suns. The Suns picked him ninth overall in the 2002 NBA draft. He played in six NBA All-Star Games and was chosen for the All-NBA Team five times. This included one first-team selection in 2007. The Phoenix Suns Ring of Honor welcomed Amar'e Stoudemire on March 2, 2024.

Stoudemire played high school basketball at three different schools. He finished at Cypress Creek High School in Orlando, Florida. He then went straight to the NBA draft from high school. He earned many awards in high school, including being named Florida's Florida Mr. Basketball. Stoudemire had knee problems during his career. He had surgery on both knees. He played for the Suns, New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks, and Miami Heat. He retired from the NBA in 2016.

Stoudemire won a bronze medal with the U.S. national team at the 2004 Olympic Games. Off the court, he has a record label and a clothing line. He has also acted and written children's books for Scholastic Press. Stoudemire also owns a large part of Hapoel Jerusalem. He won a championship with this team in 2017. He also won a championship with Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2020. He was named the Israeli Basketball Premier League Finals MVP for that win.

Amar'e Stoudemire's Early Life

Stoudemire was born in Lake Wales, Florida. This is a small city about an hour from Orlando, Florida. His parents, Hazell and Carrie, separated when he was young. They had two sons and a daughter: Hazell Jr., Ladesha, and Amar'e. His mother worked picking oranges in Florida. She also traveled north to upstate New York to pick apples.

After his parents separated, his mother had another son, Marwan. Amar'e's father passed away when he was 12 years old. During this time, his mother faced challenges that sometimes kept her away. Amar'e lived in Newburgh, New York for about five months in 1994. Then he moved to Port Jervis, New York and lived there until 1998. When his parents were not around, other people helped guide him. These included a policeman, Burney Hayes, and his AAU coach, Travis King. He also stayed with a minister, Rev. Bill Williams.

High School Basketball Journey

Stoudemire did not start playing organized basketball until he was 14. Because of changes in his family life, Amar'e moved between different high schools. He attended five high schools in two states six different times. He first went to Lake Wales High School in Lake Wales, Florida. His freshman season was cut short because of school rules.

He then moved to Mount Zion Christian Academy in Durham, North Carolina. He later returned to Florida and attended summer school. He briefly went back to Mount Zion Academy. Then he missed a year at West Orange High School because of school rules. His last move was to Cypress Creek High School in Orlando, Florida. He graduated from there in 2002. Because of all the moves, he missed his entire junior year of basketball. He only played two full seasons in high school.

Besides basketball, Stoudemire was also good at football. His father coached him in Pop Warner football. He dreamed of being a star receiver for college teams like the University of Miami. Growing up, he looked up to Shaquille O'Neal. O'Neal was a center for the Orlando Magic in the NBA.

In his senior year, Stoudemire averaged 29.1 points, 15 rebounds, and 6.1 blocked shots per game. He was chosen to play in the 2002 McDonald's All-American Game. This game was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. He played with future New York Knicks teammates, Carmelo Anthony and Raymond Felton. He was also named Florida's Florida Mr. Basketball. He was also chosen as the Orlando Sentinel Florida High School Player of the Year. USA Today also named him to their All-USA Basketball First Team.

Experts considered Stoudemire a top player in 2002. His main goal in high school was to reach the NBA. He first decided to go to the University of Memphis. However, he later changed his mind and entered the NBA draft. The Phoenix Suns picked him ninth in the 2002 NBA draft. He was the only high school player chosen in the first round that year.

Professional Basketball Career

Phoenix Suns (2002–2010)

Rookie of the Year (2002–03)

In his first season, Stoudemire averaged 13.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. He scored a season-high 38 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves in December 2002. This was the highest score by a player drafted from high school until LeBron James broke it a year later. Stoudemire was chosen for the Rookie squad in the Rookie Challenge. In that game, he had 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals.

Stoudemire won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He beat out Yao Ming and Caron Butler. He was the first player drafted from high school to win this award. Stoudemire was also named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. The Suns, led by Stoudemire, made it to the playoffs. However, they lost in six games to the San Antonio Spurs, who later won the championship.

Improving as a Sophomore (2003–04)

The next season, Stoudemire's stats got even better. But his team had a tough year, finishing with a 29–53 record. Point guard Stephon Marbury was traded to the New York Knicks. During this season, Stoudemire had a game with 10 blocks against the Utah Jazz. He recorded six blocks in just the first quarter, which were team records. In the summer of 2004, Stoudemire was chosen to play for the U.S. national team in the Summer Olympics. The team won a bronze medal.

First All-Star Appearance (2004–05)

In the 2004–05 NBA season, Stoudemire teamed up with point guard Steve Nash. The Suns signed Nash as a free agent. Together, they led the Suns to an amazing 62–20 record. Stoudemire averaged 26 points per game that year. He also set a new career high with 50 points against the Portland Trail Blazers. He was chosen for his first NBA All-Star Game as a reserve forward. Stoudemire and Nash were known for their "pick-and-roll" play. In the Western Conference Finals, Stoudemire averaged 37 points per game against the San Antonio Spurs. But the Suns still lost in five games.

Knee Problems (2005–06)

On October 4, 2005, Stoudemire signed a new five-year contract with the Suns. During the 2005–06 preseason, doctors found damage to his knee cartilage. Stoudemire had surgery on October 18, 2005. The Suns first thought he would return by mid-February. But his recovery took longer. Stoudemire scored 20 points in his return game against the Portland Trail Blazers. However, he scored no points in his third game back. On March 28, it was announced he would likely miss the rest of the season. This was due to ongoing stiffness in both knees. Stoudemire's recovery went well, and he felt strong again.

Comeback and All-NBA First Team (2006–07)

Before the 2006–07 NBA season, Stoudemire changed his jersey number from 32 to 1. On February 18, 2007, Stoudemire played in the 2007 NBA All-Star Game. This was his second All-Star appearance. He scored 29 points and grabbed 9 rebounds.

During the 2007 NBA playoffs, in a series against the San Antonio Spurs, Stoudemire said that Manu Ginóbili and Bruce Bowen were "dirty" players. Stoudemire and teammate Boris Diaw were suspended for Game 5. This was because they left the bench area during a fight between Steve Nash and Robert Horry. The Suns lost to the Spurs in six games. Stoudemire averaged 26.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 2 blocks in that series. He finished the 2006–07 regular season averaging 20.4 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. He was chosen for the All-NBA First Team.

Eye Surgery and Playoff Losses (2007–10)

Stoudemire played in the FIBA Americas Championship 2007. But he decided not to play for the national team in the 2008 Olympics. He explained that playing basketball year-round was very demanding.

Stoudemire led the Suns in scoring (25.2 per game) and rebounds (9.1 per game) in the 2007–08 NBA season. He made the All-Star team and was named to the All-NBA Second Team. Stoudemire also played well with veteran center Shaquille O'Neal. The Suns had gotten O'Neal in February. However, the Suns struggled in the playoffs. They lost again to their rivals, the San Antonio Spurs. The Suns lost the series 4–1. Stoudemire averaged 23 points in the series. After the season, Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni left to coach the New York Knicks.

Under new coach Terry Porter, the Suns had a tough start in 2008–09. They lost five games in a row before the 2009 All-Star break. Stoudemire was voted a starter for the Western Conference. On February 18, in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Stoudemire hurt his eye. He suffered a detached retina. Even though it happened in the first quarter, he finished the game with 42 points. He had injured the same eye earlier, but this time it was more serious. Stoudemire had eye surgery to fix the retina. He needed eight weeks to recover, missing the rest of the season. He said he would wear protective goggles when he returned to play.

Stoudemire in 2009

In the 2009–10 NBA season, Stoudemire was again named to the All-Star team. The Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers talked about a trade that would send Stoudemire to Cleveland to play with LeBron James. However, the deal did not happen. Another trade idea would have sent Stoudemire to the Golden State Warriors. But the Warriors changed their mind at the last minute. Stoudemire led the Suns to a 54–28 record. They earned the third spot in the Western Conference playoffs. Stoudemire finished the season averaging 23 points and 9 rebounds.

The Suns beat the Portland Trail Blazers 4–2 in the first round. They then swept the San Antonio Spurs 4–0 in the Conference Semifinals. They then faced the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in the Conference Finals. After losing the first two games, Stoudemire scored 42 points in game 3 and 21 in game 4. This helped the Suns tie the series 2–2. However, the Suns did not win any more games and lost the series 4–2.

Stoudemire ended his time with the Suns with many records. He was fourth in franchise history for scoring average (21.4 points per game). He was third in rebounds and free throws. He was fifth in blocked shots. He also held single-game records for consecutive free throws (20) and blocked shots (10).

New York Knicks (2010–2015)

First Season in New York (2010–11)

On June 30, 2010, Stoudemire chose to leave his contract with the Phoenix Suns. This made him a free agent. On July 5, 2010, Stoudemire and the New York Knicks agreed to a contract. It was worth about $99.7 million over five years. The Knicks officially introduced Stoudemire at Madison Square Garden. There, Stoudemire announced, "the Knicks are back!" He was talking about the team's struggles in recent years. With the Knicks, Stoudemire was reunited with coach Mike D'Antoni, who had coached him with the Suns.

On December 15, 2010, Stoudemire set a team record with his ninth straight game scoring 30 points. On December 17, 2010, he set another team record. It was his ninth straight game shooting 50 percent or better from the field. On January 27, 2011, Stoudemire was named a starter for the Eastern Conference All-Star Team. He was the first Knicks player to start in the game since Patrick Ewing. In the game, Stoudemire scored 29 points.

On February 22, 2011, the Knicks made a big trade. They got superstar Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets. In 2011, the Knicks made the playoffs for the first time since 2004. Stoudemire was hurt during the playoffs. In Game 3, he tried to play despite a bad back. The Knicks were swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round. Stoudemire had one of his best seasons, averaging 25.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game. He also improved his mid-range shot and three-point shooting. Stoudemire was named to the All-NBA Second Team.

Challenges in New York (2011–12)

During the 2011 NBA lockout, Stoudemire helped represent the players for the Knicks. He thought about playing overseas for Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C. because of his heritage. But he decided to stay with the players union. In October 2011, Stoudemire appeared on ESPN to promote his new sneaker line. During the lockout, Stoudemire trained and studied history. He also tried acting, appearing in a TV show.

Stoudemire with the Knicks in 2011

Before the 2011–12 season, the Knicks got Tyson Chandler. But they let go of point guard Chauncey Billups. Early in the season, Stoudemire struggled without a point guard to pass him the ball. In February 2012, Stoudemire missed four games. He was mourning the death of his older brother, Hazell, who died in a car accident. Later that month, he was not chosen for the All-Star Game. This was the first time since 2006 he wasn't an All-Star. Stoudemire felt he had gained weight during the lockout. He started a weight loss program and lost 10 pounds. This helped him play better in March.

However, Stoudemire then suffered a back injury. He returned for a few games at the end of the season. The Knicks were the seventh seed in the playoffs. They faced the Miami Heat. After a loss in Game 2, Stoudemire hurt his left hand. He punched a fire extinguisher box in the locker room. The wound needed stitches. Stoudemire returned for Game 4 and scored 20 points and 10 rebounds. The Knicks won, ending a 13-game playoff losing streak. But the Knicks did not win another game and lost the series 4–1 to the Heat. The 2011–2012 season was tough for Stoudemire. His performance dropped in almost every area.

Injury-Plagued Seasons (2012–14)

Stoudemire in 2012

Stoudemire missed the first 30 games of the 2012–13 NBA season due to a knee injury. On December 18, 2012, he was sent to the Erie BayHawks (a minor league team) to practice and continue his recovery. He returned to the Knicks on December 21. Stoudemire played his first game of the season on January 1, 2013. He played 17 minutes, scoring six points. After returning, Stoudemire was limited to playing a maximum of 30 minutes per game.

On March 9, 2013, it was announced that Stoudemire would have another knee procedure. He missed the rest of the regular season because of this. For the first time in his career, he was not a starter. He played only 29 games that season. He averaged 14.2 points and 5 rebounds per game. Even without him for much of the time, the Knicks finished with a strong record. They made the playoffs for the third time in a row. They also won their first division title since the 1993–94 NBA season. Stoudemire was still out when the Knicks beat the Boston Celtics in six games. This was the Knicks' first playoff series win since 2000. He returned to play on May 11, 2013, in Game 3 of the next series against the Indiana Pacers. The Knicks ended up losing to the Pacers in 6 games.

After playing only 47 and 29 games in the previous two seasons, Stoudemire had a better year in the 2013–14 NBA season. He played in 65 games and got stronger as the season went on. He played well as his playing time increased. He became a starter again on March 3. He helped New York win seven straight games when he played. In March, he averaged 16.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He showed he could play power forward or center.

With the Knicks needing wins to make the playoffs, Stoudemire had one of his best games. He scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds against the Toronto Raptors. However, despite his efforts, the Knicks did not make the 2014 playoffs.

Final Year with Knicks (2014–15)

In the 2014–15 NBA season, Stoudemire mostly played off the bench for the Knicks. He played well, missing only one game in the first 28. He was a good leader for the struggling Knicks team. He averaged 13.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. He then missed 12 out of 13 games with another knee injury. He returned on January 15 but did not play much.

On February 16, 2015, the Knicks released Stoudemire. They reached an agreement to end his contract.

Dallas Mavericks (2015)

On February 18, 2015, Stoudemire signed with the Dallas Mavericks. Four days later, he played his first game for the Mavericks. He scored 14 points in just 11 minutes off the bench. Stoudemire played in 23 games for the Mavericks. He averaged 10.8 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.

Miami Heat (2015–2016)

On July 10, 2015, Stoudemire signed with the Miami Heat. He played in only one of the Heat's first 10 games due to knee soreness. On November 19, he scored 10 points in eight minutes against the Sacramento Kings. On January 31, 2016, he had season highs of 13 points and 12 rebounds against the Atlanta Hawks. He started that game because Hassan Whiteside was injured. Two days later, he scored 14 points in a loss to the Houston Rockets.

Stoudemire's last NBA game was on May 11, 2016. It was Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Toronto Raptors. He played only 3 minutes. The Heat lost that game and the series.

On July 26, 2016, Stoudemire signed a contract with the New York Knicks to retire as a Knick. He announced his retirement from the NBA later that day after 14 seasons.

Playing in Israel (2016–2020)

Stoudemire with the Fujian Sturgeons in November 2019

Even though he retired from the NBA, Stoudemire kept playing basketball. On August 1, 2016, he signed a two-year deal with Hapoel Jerusalem B.C.. He was also a co-owner of this team in the Israeli Basketball Premier League. On October 1, 2016, he helped Hapoel Jerusalem win the Israeli Basketball League Cup. He also earned honors for his play in the EuroCup and was an Israeli All-Star. In June 2017, he helped Hapoel Jerusalem win the Israeli championship.

On September 1, 2017, Stoudemire announced he was retiring from basketball. In February 2018, Stoudemire joined a BIG3 team called Tri State. Three months later, he said he was thinking about returning to the NBA.

On September 24, Stoudemire came out of retirement. He signed with Hapoel Jerusalem again for the 2018–19 season. On October 31, Stoudemire scored a season-high 24 points. He was named to the Champions League's Team of the Week. In May 2019, Stoudemire was named Israeli Premier League Player of the Month.

Playing in China (2019)

On October 30, 2019, Stoudemire signed with the Fujian Sturgeons in the Chinese Basketball Association. He played in 11 games for the team. He averaged 19.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. In mid-December 2019, Stoudemire left the team to return to the United States.

Return to Israel (2020)

On January 22, 2020, Stoudemire returned to Israel for a third time. He signed with Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C. for the rest of the season. In July 2020, he helped Maccabi Tel Aviv win the championship. He also earned Israeli Basketball Premier League Finals MVP honors for his great play in the finals.

Coaching Career

On October 30, 2020, the Brooklyn Nets hired Stoudemire. He worked as a player development assistant. On May 12, 2022, he announced he would not return to the Nets for the next season.

Personal Life

Stoudemire has four children with his ex-wife, Alexis Welch. They started dating in 2002 and got engaged in May 2012. They married on December 12, 2012.

Stoudemire's first name was sometimes spelled Amaré or Amare. But it was changed to Amar'e in October 2008. Stoudemire said his name had always been spelled Amar'e.

Stoudemire was raised Baptist. Through his mother, he learned about the Black Hebrew Israelites. In 2010, he said he had known since he was young that he was a Hebrew through his mother. He visited Israel that year to learn more about his heritage. He returned for the 2013 Maccabiah Games as an assistant coach. In April 2018, he began the process of converting to Judaism. In January 2019, he was granted residency in Israel. In March 2019, he became an Israeli citizen. He formally converted to Judaism on August 26, 2020.

In December 2014, Stoudemire bought a farm in Hyde Park, New York. He said he wanted to use the property as a place for his family to gather.

Off the Court Activities

Helping Others (Philanthropy)

Stoudemire started the Each One, Teach One foundation in 2003. He also funded his own AAU team, called Team STAT. Stoudemire played Wheel of Fortune during NBA week. He 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. This was for his work providing clean drinking water in Sierra Leone. He funded the building of water wells in villages there. Stoudemire visited the country in 2008. In 2010, Stoudemire hosted the first Amar'e Stoudemire Basketball Academy in Mali. That same year, he posed for a PETA campaign against wearing animal fur.

Acting and Entertainment

Amar'e appeared on TV shows like Law & Order: SVU, Entourage, and Sesame Street in 2011. He also appeared on TV Land's The Exes and Fox's The Mindy Project. Stoudemire also had roles in movies like MacGruber and New Year's Eve. He also appeared as himself in the comedy film Trainwreck.

Other Projects

In 2011, Stoudemire started his own clothing line. It launched at Macy's in late 2011. He described the line as "courtside apparel for the fashion-forward female." Stoudemire also has his own record label called Hypocalypto.

In August 2011, Stoudemire signed a deal with Scholastic Press. He wrote a series of middle-grade chapter books called STAT: Standing Tall And Talented. The first book, STAT: Home Court, was published in August 2012. Stoudemire said the book was based on his own life.

In 2013, Stoudemire became a major owner of Hapoel Jerusalem B.C.. Later that year, he also became an assistant coach for the Canadian men's national basketball team.

In February 2018, Stoudemire launched his own kosher Israeli wine label, Stoudemire Cellars. Stoudemire is also an art collector.

Awards and Honors

• Israeli Basketball Premier League champion: 2017, 2020
• Israeli Basketball Premier League Finals MVP: 2020
• Israeli Cup winner: 2019
• Israeli League Cup winner: 2016
• NBA Rookie of the Year: 2003
• NBA All-Star: 2005, 2007–2011
• All-NBA First Team: 2007
• All-NBA Second Team: 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011
• NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2003
• NBA Rookie Challenge MVP: 2004
• Orlando Sentinel Florida High School Player of the Year: 2002
• Florida Mr. Basketball: 2002
• USA Today All-USA Basketball First Team: 2002
• Prep Stars Recruiter's Handbook No. 1 High School Player in the United States: 2002
• NBA Community Assist Award: 2008

NBA Career Statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

ISBL Career Statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

CBA Career Statistics

Regular season

See also

In Spanish: Amar'e Stoudemire para niños

• List of NBA single-game blocks leaders
• List of select Jewish basketball players