Phoenix Suns: Amar’e Stoudemire
Amar’e Stoudemire is another timeless wonder who continues to contribute on and off the court as well. He’s played in both the NBA and Israeli Basketball Premier League. Now Stoudemire has his first coaching gig secured as Steve Nash’s assistant with the Brooklyn Nets.
Stoudemire established his legacy in Phoenix and it’s where he had the best years of his career. The 6-foot-10 power forward made his presence known immediately by winning Rookie of the Year in 2003. Stoudemire continued by making five All-Star appearances over the next seven years (2005, 2007-2010). Overall, over his eight seasons in Phoenix, the 6-foot-10 power forward accumulated 11,035 points, 4,613 rebounds and 1,054 blocks in 516 regular-season games. The Suns had great success as well, making the playoffs five times in Stoudemire’s tenure.
Although Stoudemire’s NBA career was derailed by injuries, he definitely lived up to the hype of being a top high school prospect. In his prime, he looked much leaner than 245 pounds. Because he was in excellent shape, Stoudemire was able to jump higher than most big men his size. Similar to Dwight Howard, he had great hands and solid footwork in the low post.