Amar’e Stoudemire is hanging up his Nikes. Today (July 26), the 6-time NBA All-Star announced the he is retiring as a New York Knick after signing with the team.
Reports the NBA:
“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. “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.”
July 8, 2010 marked one of the most memorable introductions in team annals as the 6-10 perennial All-Star – and one of the most dominant forwards of his era – took the stage of Madison Square Garden in front of a nation-wide media contingent. Stoudemire’s arrival to the World’s Most Famous Arena catapulted the Knicks into contention and ended a post-season drought to start a three-year playoff run. In just his first season in the Orange and Blue, the Lake Wales, FL native became the first Knick to be voted a starter in the NBA All-Star Game since Patrick Ewing (1997) by garnering over 1.6 million fan votes. At the conclusion of the 2010-11 season, the NBA announced that Stoudemire’s No. 1 jersey had risen to fourth place on the NBA’s list of most popular jerseys list.
Stoudemire will finish a solid career with averages of 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds despite being hampered by knee injuries.
Take a look at Stoudemire’s best dunks in the clips below. That man had bounce.
—
Photo: WENN.com
