Amar’e Stoudemire is not a name to overlook in the Basketball Champions League as well as the National Basketball Association (NBA). The professional basketball player plays for Isreali Premiere League team, Hapoel Jerusalem and has shown great tenacity and resilience in the course of his career. Amare’s potentials began to reflect from a young age when he would go on to become the only high school player to go pro at the time.
An icon in the NBA and a force to reckon with in the world of basketball, Stoudemire is a book worthy of reading by upcoming basketball players. It will be interesting to find out more about the renowned player. Here is everything you need to now about him.
Amar’e Stoudemire’s Bio (Age, Religion)
He was born on November 16, 1982, in Lake Wales Florida, to his parents; Hazell and Carrie. Originally, his name is spelled Amar’e but according to the basketball payer, this has been misspelled or mispronounced by the media as Amaré or Amare. Amar’e and his brother Hazell Jr. witnessed the divorce of their parents when they were very young. Their mother went on to start another relationship with Artis Wilmore and had a son, Marwan, with him.
Many regard Stoudimire as Jewish but the basketball player neither welcomes or frowns at the idea. He has instead confirmed his ties with the Hebrew Israelite community. He values and respects the fact that his mother is Hebrew and has taught himself to appreciate his roots.
When he was only 12, Amar’e lost his father to a heart attack. He also had to deal with his mother’s constant incarceration and interrogation by the police on crimes relating to forgery and theft. Stoudemire changed school up to five times s a result of his mother’s problems with the police. But in all these, he never let his passion die. He was never discouraged; instead, Amar’e left a significant mark in any high school he attended by recording great achievements in the schools’ basketball teams.
Durng his high school days, he earned the MVP title at the Nike Summer League. He also made it to the selection for the 2002 McDonald’s All-American Game in New York’s Madison Square Garden. Among his other titles were Mr. Basketball and Florida High School Player of the Year. All these feats were nothing compared to his NBA selection while still in high school.
Professional Career
Stoudemire was the only high school basketball player who was selected during the 2002 NBA Draft. He was selected in the first round by the Phoenix Suns with the ninth pick in the draft. His rookie season with the team saw him record 13.5 points and 8.8 rebounds as his average. One of his remarkable records was at the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves where he recorded a season high of 38 points; part of what earned him the NBA’s rookie of the Year award.
He continued to make impressive records and was highly regarded in his team. In January 2005, the talented player earned his first NBA All-Star Game selection after recording 26 points per game and 50 points in the game against the Portland Trail Blazers. However, his 2005-06 season was threatened by a knee injury which required him to undergo surgery. After sustaining a knee cartilage damage and undergoing surgery, he missed most of his games in 2005, as a result of some complications.
Stoudemire’s time with the Suns came to an end in 2010 after which he joined the New York Knicks on a contract worth about $99.7 million. After almost five years with the Knicks, he moved to the Dallas Mavericks in February 2015. Amar’e played for one year with the Miami Heat from 2015 to 2016 before he retired from the NBA.
After his NBA stint, Stoudemire signed a two-year contract with Hapoel Jerusalem in 2016 and played for a year before announcing his official retirement from basketball in 2017. Reports have it that he came back to the NBA in 2018 and signed with Hapoel Jerusalem for the 2018–19 season.
His Net Worth, Salary
Amar’e Stoudemire did not only make a name for himself during his vibrant days but also reached an enviable financial status. The veteran player sits on an estimated net worth of $70 million, garnered from his mouthwatering contracts and deals. For the year 2016 alone, the former Phoenix Suns player was paid an estimate of $1.499 million as salary.
Personal Life – Wife
Stoudemire is married to Alexis Welch. The couple who had been dating since 2002, were engaged in May 2012 after Amar’e popped the question. In December that same year, they tied the knot in a small wedding ceremony. They have four kids together.
Height
Amar’e Stoudemire has got an intimidating but soothing height that fits his challenging career. He stands at 6ft 10in (2.08m). His weight is listed as 245 lb (111 kg) which is proportional to his gigantic height. The baller, just like others in his chosen career path maintains an athletic body build.
