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) 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 Jehoshaphat Stoudemire /əˈmɑːreɪ ˈstɒdəmaɪər/ ə-MAR-ay-_-stod-Ə-myre; born on November 16, 1982, is an American professional basketball coach and former player. He most recently worked as a player development assistant for the Brooklyn Nets in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Stoudemire was chosen by the Phoenix Suns as the ninth pick in the 2002 NBA draft. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 2003, becoming the first player drafted straight from high school to earn this honor. He was selected for the NBA All-Star Game six times and was named to the All-NBA Team five times, including one time on the First Team in 2007. The Phoenix Suns honored him by adding his name to their Phoenix Suns Ring of Honor on March 2, 2024.

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

Stoudemire won a bronze medal with the U.S. national team at the 2004 Olympic Games. Outside of basketball, he has been involved in a record label, a clothing line, acting, and writing children's books for Scholastic Press. Stoudemire also owns a large part of Hapoel Jerusalem, an Israeli team he won a championship with in 2017. He also won a championship with Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2020 and was named the Israeli Basketball Premier League Finals MVP.

Early Life and Family Background

Amar'e Stoudemire was born in Lake Wales, Florida. This is a small city about an hour from Orlando, Florida. His parents, Hazell and Carrie, divorced when he was young. They had two sons together: Hazell Jr. and Amar'e. His mother worked in agriculture, picking oranges in Florida and apples in upstate New York.

Stoudemire's father passed away from a heart attack when Amar'e 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, where he lived until 1998. When his parents were not around, other people helped guide him. These included a policeman named Burney Hayes and his AAU coach, Travis King. He also lived with a minister, Rev. Bill Williams.

High School Basketball Journey

Stoudemire did not start playing organized basketball until he was 14 years old. Because he moved often with his mother, he changed high schools five times across two states. He first went to Lake Wales High School in Lake Wales, Florida. His first year was cut short because he couldn't play due to his grades.

He then moved to Mount Zion Christian Academy in Durham, North Carolina. Later, he returned to Florida and attended summer school at Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando. He briefly went back to Mount Zion Academy. Then he missed a year at West Orange High School in Winter Garden, Florida, again due to grade issues. His final move was to Cypress Creek High School in Orlando, Florida, where he graduated in 2002. Because of all these moves, he missed his entire junior year of basketball. He only played two full seasons in high school.

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

In his senior year, Stoudemire averaged 29.1 points, 15 rebounds, 6.1 blocked shots, and 2.1 steals per game. He was chosen to play in the 2002 McDonald's All-American Game at Madison Square Garden in New York City. There, he played with future New York Knicks teammates, Carmelo Anthony and Raymond Felton. He was also named Florida's Florida Mr. Basketball. USA Today also put him on their All-USA Basketball First Team.

Stoudemire was considered the top high school player in the nation in 2002. His main goal was to make it to the NBA. He first planned to go to the University of Memphis. However, he later decided to enter the NBA draft instead. The Phoenix Suns picked him ninth overall in the 2002 NBA draft. He was the only high school player picked in the first round that year.

Professional Basketball Career

Phoenix Suns (2002–2010)

Rookie of the Year Season (2002–03)

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

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

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. Their 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 even recorded six blocks in just the first quarter.

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. However, the coach did not give him much playing time.

First All-Star and All-NBA Appearances (2004–05)

During the 2004–05 season, Stoudemire teamed up with Steve Nash, a new point guard for the Suns. Together, they led the Suns to an amazing 62–20 record. Stoudemire averaged 26 points per game that year. He scored a new career high of 50 points against the Portland Trail Blazers. He was also chosen for his first NBA All-Star Game.

In the Western Conference Finals, Stoudemire averaged 37 points per game against the San Antonio Spurs. But the Suns still lost the series in five games.

Knee Problems and Comeback (2005–07)

Before the 2005–06 NBA season, doctors found damage in Stoudemire's knee cartilage. He had surgery on October 18, 2005. The Suns thought he would return by mid-February, but his recovery took longer. Stoudemire did score 20 points in his return game. However, he later had to miss the rest of the regular season due to ongoing stiffness in his knees. His manager said he came back too soon and needed more time to heal.

Before the 2006–07 season, Stoudemire changed his jersey number from 32 to 1. On February 18, 2007, he played in the 2007 NBA All-Star Game, his second All-Star appearance. He scored 29 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. He finished the 2006–07 regular season averaging 20.4 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. He was also chosen for the All-NBA First Team.

Stoudemire goes up for a dunk

In the 2007 NBA playoffs, the Suns played against the San Antonio Spurs. Stoudemire and his teammate Boris Diaw were suspended for one game. This happened because they left the bench area during an argument between Steve Nash and a Spurs player. The Suns lost to the Spurs in six games.

Eye Surgery and Playoff Challenges (2007–10)

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 All-Star team and was named to the All-NBA Second Team. The Suns, however, lost in the playoffs again to the San Antonio Spurs. After the season, Suns coach Mike D'Antoni left to coach the New York Knicks.

Under a new coach, the Suns struggled early in the 2008–09 season. Stoudemire was voted a starter for the Western Conference All-Star team. On February 19, he suffered a detached retina in his eye during a game. He had surgery to fix it, which meant he missed the rest of the season. He later said he would wear protective goggles when he played again.

In the 2009–10 season, Stoudemire was again named to the All-Star team. He led the Suns to a 54–28 record, earning the third seed in the Western Conference. The Suns beat the Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs. They then faced the defending champions, the Los Angeles Lakers, in the Conference Finals. Stoudemire scored 42 points in one game and 21 in another to help the Suns tie the series 2–2. However, the Suns lost the series 4–2.

Stoudemire finished his time with the Suns as one of the top players in franchise history. He was fourth in scoring average, third in rebounds, and fifth in blocked shots.

New York Knicks (2010–2015)

First Season in New York (2010–11)

On June 30, 2010, Stoudemire decided to leave the Phoenix Suns and become a free agent. On July 5, 2010, he agreed to a five-year contract with the New York Knicks. When he was officially introduced, Stoudemire famously declared, "the Knicks are back!" He was reunited with his former coach, Mike D'Antoni.

On December 15, 2010, Stoudemire set a Knicks record with his ninth straight game scoring 30 points or more. On January 27, 2011, he was named a starter for the Eastern Conference All-Star Team. He was the first Knicks player to start in the All-Star game since Patrick Ewing. Stoudemire scored 29 points in the game.

On February 22, 2011, the Knicks made a big trade. They brought in superstar Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets. In 2011, the Knicks made the playoffs for the first time since 2004. Stoudemire got injured during the playoffs. 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 was named to the All-NBA Second Team.

Challenges and Injuries (2011–14)

During the 2011 NBA lockout, Stoudemire thought about playing overseas for Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C. because of his possible Hebrew heritage. However, he stayed with the players union. In October 2011, he promoted his new sneaker line, the Nike Air Max Sweep Thru. He also tried acting, appearing in a TV show called Entourage.

Stoudemire with the Knicks in 2011

Before the 2011–12 season, the Knicks added Tyson Chandler. Stoudemire struggled early in the season without a main point guard to pass him the ball. In February 2012, he missed four games after his older brother, Hazell, died in a car accident. He was not chosen for the All-Star Game that year, which was the first time since 2006. Stoudemire worked to lose weight he had gained during the lockout.

After a good March, Stoudemire suffered a back injury. He returned for the playoffs, where the Knicks faced the Miami Heat. After a loss in Game 2, Stoudemire accidentally cut his left hand by punching a fire extinguisher box in the locker room. He needed stitches. Stoudemire returned for Game 4 and helped the Knicks win, ending a long playoff losing streak. However, the Knicks lost the series 4–1 to the Heat. His production dropped in the 2011–2012 season, averaging 17.5 points and 7.8 rebounds.

Stoudemire in 2012

Stoudemire missed the first 30 games of the 2012–13 season due to a knee injury. He was sent to the Erie BayHawks (a minor league team) to practice and recover. He returned to the Knicks on January 1, 2013. He was limited to playing about 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 played as a reserve player, not a starter. He only played 29 games, averaging 14.2 points per game. Even without him for much of the time, the Knicks finished with a strong record and won their first division title since 1994. Stoudemire returned for the playoffs, but the Knicks lost to the Indiana Pacers in 6 games.

After two seasons with many missed games, Stoudemire played in 65 games during the 2013–14 season. He got stronger as the year went on. He even returned to the starting lineup in March. In 14 games that month, he averaged 16.9 points and 6.6 rebounds. He showed he could play well alongside Tyson Chandler or as a center in smaller lineups. Despite his efforts, the Knicks did not make the playoffs in 2014.

Final Year with Knicks (2014–15)

In the 2014–15 season, Stoudemire mostly played off the bench for the Knicks. He played well, averaging 13.4 points and 7.4 rebounds in the first 28 games. He missed the next 12 out of 13 games with another knee injury.

On February 16, 2015, Stoudemire and the Knicks agreed to end his contract. He was then released by the team.

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, averaging 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 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 game against the Houston Rockets.

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

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

Playing in Israel and China (2016–2020)

Stoudemire with the Fujian Sturgeons in November 2019

Even though he retired from the NBA, Stoudemire continued to play basketball. On August 1, 2016, he signed a two-year deal with Hapoel Jerusalem, an Israeli team he partly owned. On October 1, 2016, he helped Hapoel Jerusalem win the Israeli Basketball League Cup. In June 2017, he helped Hapoel Jerusalem win the Israeli championship.

On September 1, 2017, Stoudemire announced he was retiring from basketball completely. However, in February 2018, he joined the BIG3 team Tri State as a co-captain. A few months later, he said he was thinking about returning to the NBA.

On September 24, Stoudemire came out of retirement again to sign with Hapoel Jerusalem for the 2018–19 season. On October 31, he scored a season-high 24 points in a win. On May 2, 2019, he was named Israeli Premier League Player of the Month.

On October 30, 2019, Stoudemire signed with the Fujian Sturgeons in China. He played in 11 games for them, averaging 19.3 points and 8.2 rebounds. In mid-December 2019, Stoudemire left the team to return to the United States.

On January 22, 2020, Stoudemire went back to Israel for a third time. He signed with Maccabi Tel Aviv for the rest of the season. In July 2020, he helped Maccabi Tel Aviv win the championship. He was also named the Israeli Basketball Premier League Finals MVP.

Coaching Career

On October 30, 2020, Stoudemire was hired by the Brooklyn Nets as a player development assistant. This means he helped players improve their skills. On May 12, 2022, he announced he would not return to the Nets for the next season.

Personal Life and Interests

Amar'e Stoudemire has four children with his former wife, Alexis Welch. They were together since 2002 and married in December 2012. They later divorced in 2021.

Stoudemire's first name was sometimes spelled Amaré or Amare in the past. But in October 2008, it was changed to Amar'e. He said his name had always been spelled Amar'e, but the media had been spelling it wrong.

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 March 2019, he became an Israeli citizen and took the name Yahoshafat Ben Avraham. He formally converted to Judaism on August 26, 2020.

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

Off the Court Activities

Helping Others

Stoudemire started the Each One, Teach One foundation in 2003. He also funded his own AAU basketball team called Team STAT. Stoudemire played Wheel of Fortune during its NBA week. He donated all his winnings to the Boys and Girls Clubs in the Greater Phoenix area.

In November 2008, Stoudemire received the NBA's Community Assist Award. This was for his work with his foundation to provide clean drinking water in Sierra Leone. He helped fund the building of water wells in villages there. Stoudemire visited the country in 2008 to see the water well sites and meet with leaders. In 2010, Stoudemire hosted the first Amar'e Stoudemire Basketball Academy in Mali.

Acting and Entertainment

Amar'e has appeared in several TV shows and movies. In 2011, he was on Law & Order: SVU, Entourage, and Sesame Street. He also appeared on TV Land's The Exes and Fox's comedy series, The Mindy Project. Stoudemire had roles in the films MacGruber, New Year's Eve, and Trainwreck. In Trainwreck, he played himself as a patient of a sports surgeon.

Other Ventures

In 2011, Stoudemire launched his own clothing line with the help of Rachel Roy. He described it 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 to write a series of children's books. The series is 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 called Stoudemire Cellars. The wines are made at Tulip Winery in Kfar Tikvah. 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