Amar'e Stoudemire is seriously considering making his way back to the NBA, and at 36 years old the man once known at STAT is as fit as he's ever been in recent memory.
The former New York Knicks power forward signed a five-year, $100 million deal with the franchise back in 2010, but was bought out of the final year of his deal after his knees didn't hold up.
“For me I got down to 235 [pounds], which is my lowest weight I’ve ever played at. I got as strong as I could possibly be,” Stoudemire said during MSG Network’s “MSG 150’’ show, per Marc Berman of The New York Post. “I worked on physical therapy and my physical training to the point where I took every exercise very seriously and critiqued every single workout and exercise, so my body as a result has been feeling great.”
Stoudemire last played in the NBA for the Heat in 2015-16 after a short career in Jerusalem, yet even if he's been three seasons removed from playing at an NBA pace, the 6-foot-10 forward believes his new level of fitness will help him get one last opportunity.
“My body feels amazing, so we’ll see if the opportunity becomes a reality,” Stoudemire said on the show. “A lot of the teams have a lot of young players and a lot of players that can learn how to train, how to become professionals and how to become great basketball players. And leadership goes a long way with teams in order to get from a playoff team to a contending championship team.
“From that standpoint, I have a lot to offer. And also as a basketball player, I still have a lot of game left. I can help a team in any way they need.”
Stoudemire worked out in front of 15 NBA teams along with former league standout Monta Ellis in Las Vegas, hoping to show enough to entice teams to give him a shot at a roster spot.
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