Drafted by the Phoenix Suns straight out of high school in 2002 with the 9th overall pick, had it not been for micro-fracture surgery at only 23-years-old, Amar’e Stoudemire might be in the conversation as one of the greatest power forwards in history, potentially even with an argument that he be a first ballot hall-of-famer.
Even with no college experience, STAT was an immediate impact player on the Suns in 2002-03, averaging 13.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, earning him the franchise’s third Rookie of the Year honor, and playing a central role in the team’s playoff trip and first round loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
Much like his teammate Shawn Marion, Stoudemire was an incredibly gifted athletic freak, able to leap out of the gym making defending him around the basket nearly impossible. Although what made Stoudemire such an offensive force was how good he was in the post game, as well as a mid-range jumper that became his bread and butter after knee injuries prematurely took some of his athleticism and quickness.
Coming out of high school Stoudemire was a terrible shooter. But with the help of Suns coaching, his jumper came to be one of his best threats, nearly unguardable as well, and a tremendous threat when defenders attempted to guard it as he also had uncanny quickness for a player his size (even after the injury) as he would often be able to blow right by straight toward the hoop.
Stoudemire’s third season in 2004-05 (and first with Steve Nash), was his most offensively prolific as he averaged 26.0 points per game, which sits as the franchise’s second best season scoring average in history behind only Tom Chambers’ 27.2 per game set back in 1989-90. That season earned STAT his first of six All-Star appearances, a streak only broken up by his nearly-entirely missed 2005-06 season due to his micro-fracture surgery.
Unsure of how his knee would hold-up, Stoudemire surprised everybody in 2006-07 by playing in all 82 regular season plus all 10 playoff games. The following season STAT looked nearly invincible once again and averaged his second highest scoring in a season in a Suns uniforn at 25.2, then sustained 20+ points scoring averages throughout his remaining Suns career, leaving Phoenix in the summer of 2010 following a surprise trip to the Western Conference Finals.
That summer STAT signed as an unrestricted free agent with the New York Knicks and had a tremendous first season averaging 25.3 points and 8.2 rebounds, although his knee-health diminishing, he was never the same after that. Much like Marion, his explosivness and quickness began to leave him quickly as his knee began to give out, and he not only never appeared in more than 65 games in a season again, but would become a reserve and role player that included a brief 23 game-stint with the Dallas Mavericks, and a final season with the Miami Heat in 2015-16, before leaving the NBA for Israel.
Amar’e Stoudemire led his 2002 draft class with 15,994 points, finished second in rebounds with 6,632, and tenth in assists. His career 18.9 points per game is second behind only Yao Ming‘s 19.0, and his 7.8 rebounds per game is third overall. STAT’s 92.5 Win Share leads the entire rookie class.