NBA veteran Amar'e Stoudemire announces retirement after 14 seasons
Fourteen-year NBA veteran Amar'e Stoudemire announced his retirement from the league today after signing a ceremonial contract with the New York Knicks.
He is 33 years old and was a six-time All-Star.
Stoudemire — who came into the league as the ninth overall pick of the 2002 NBA draft out of Cypress Creek High School (Orlando, Fla.) — averaged 18.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks over the course of his career with the Phoenix Suns, Knicks, Dallas Mavericks, and the Miami Heat.
But his career was no walk in the park.
Once looked at as one of the most athletically-gifted forwards in the league, Stoudemire's NBA journey was derailed by chronic knee problems that date back to the beginning of his fourth season. His production saw a rapid decline over the past few years, particularly last season with Miami, where he averaged just 5.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in 14.7 minutes. It was the first time he scored less than 10 points per game in a season.
"I want to thank Mr. Dolan, Phil [Jackson] and Steve [Mills] for signing me so 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 heard had always remained in the Big Apple. Once a Knick, Always a Knick."
Stoudemire was a valuable asset during his time with the Knicks, but was forced to miss significant time in his second and third years due to back, ankle and knee injuries. He returned for most of the 2013-14 season, but the Knicks narrowly missed the playoffs, and the two parties eventually agreed on a buyout midway through the next season.
"For parts of six years, Amar'e Stoudemire was the face of the New York Knicks franchise because of his excellence on the court and his dedication to our community and our fans across the world," Knicks general manager Steve Mills said. "When Amar'e asked us to retire as a Knick, we were honored to oblige."
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