Knicks No. 1 in heart of Amar’e
THE LAST time Amar’e Stoudemire signed a free-agent contract in New York he declared “the Knicks are back.” Six years later, there were no such bold proclamations when one of the best power forwards of his era agreed to a deal on Tuesday for the sole purpose of retiring as a Knick.
It may seem odd that Stoudemire has such a strong connection to the orange and blue considering his best years were with the Phoenix Suns when Amar’e and Steve Nash ran the pickand-roll like a modern day Stockton and Malone. But Stoudemire had a falling out with Suns ownership and he always felt a strong connection to James Dolan, the man who agreed to pay him $100 million over five years back in 2010.
“I want to thank Mr. Dolan, Phil (Jackson) and Steve (Mills) for signing me so that I can officially retire as a New York Knick,” Stoudemire said in a statement.
“I came to New York in 2010 to help revitalize this franchise and we did just that. Carmelo (Anthony), Phil and Steve have continued this quest, and with this year’s acquisitions, the team looks playoff-bound once again. Although my career has taken me to other places around the country, my heart had always remained in the Big Apple. Once a Knick, Always a Knick.”
The Knicks paid Stoudemire superstar money even though they were getting a player with diminishing skills and physical limitations. But he was an important signing because in the summer of 2010 the Knicks were finally under the salary cap and needed to make a splash.
LeBron James was the primary target, but three days after Stoudemire’s infamous line about the Knicks being back, James stole the spotlight by announcing before a national television audience that he was taking his talents to South Beach.
That would become a recurring theme for Stoudemire that first season in New York. For 54 games, Stoudemire was everything you’d want in a superstar. He reinvigorated a desperate fan base and brought hope back to Madison Square Garden. He was a legitimate MVP candidate. And then Carmelo Anthony arrived. And Melo stole more than the spotlight. Anthony became the Knicks’ franchise player and an instant fan favorite. Stoudemire was relegated to playing second fiddle again.
Eventually Jeremy Lin, Tyson Chandler, J.R. Smith and Jason Kidd arrived on the scene and each time Stoudemire’s role diminished. And yet, he never complained or became a disruptive force in the locker room.
If anything, Stoudemire was the consummate professional. No one worked harder just to prepare his aching knees to play each night and no player received more treatment after every game. Amar’e led the NBA in ice bags every season. And for a prideful player, it was not easy to come to terms with being just a highly compensated role player.
Stoudemire was dominant that first season in New York when he averaged 25.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game over 78 appearances. Over the next four years, Amar’e played in just 177 games including 36 in 2014-15 before agreeing to a buyout the day of the 2015 All Star Game at the Garden.
His worst moment as a Knick came in 2012 when Stoudemire famously lacerated his left hand punching a fire extinguisher following a Game 2 playoff loss in Miami. But mostly, the quirky Stoudemire, a self-proclaimed Renaissance man, was a harmless gentleman.
Amar’e once posted a photo of himself taking a red wine bath. He claimed to be culturally Jewish and traveled to Israel to meet with Israeli president Shimon Peres, He lived in Manhattan, hung around with Vogue editor Anna Wintour and posed nude for ESPN The Magazine.
But Stoudemire also had depth to his character. He was socially conscious when few were paying attention. For months, Amar’e went through his pregame workout routine wearing a hoodie to protest the shooting death of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin.
The Miami Heat, led by LeBron James, was universally praised for doing the same thing. Stoudemire’s protest received little to no attention. In fact, when Martin’s family visited Madison Square Garden, they requested to meet with Anthony.
There are reports of Stoudemire having a lucrative offer on the table to play in China. ESPN reported that the 33-year-old Stoudemire may play for Hapoel Jerusalem, the Israeli team he co-owns. His time in the NBA, however, is over. He gave the Knicks all he had, which in the end wasn’t much. But For 54 games during that first season in New York, Amar’e Stoudemire was true to his word.
The Knicks were back.