Stoudemire retires after signing 1-day contract with Knicks
The 14-year career of Amar'e Stoudemire is officially over after the 33-year-old forward announced his retirement from the NBA in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.
His tenure in the league will end as a member of the New York Knicks on a one-day contract.
"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 that 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 has always remained in the Big Apple.
"Once a Knick, always a Knick."
Stoudemire was selected ninth overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2002 NBA Draft and went on to win Rookie of the Year that season, beating out the likes of Yao Ming and Caron Butler.
He spent eight years competing in the Valley of the Sun, averaging 21.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks over the course of 516 games. Problems with his knee hindered him throughout a majority of his run, even keeping him on the sidelines for all but three games in 2005-06 after undergoing microfracture surgery.
Stoudemire opted out of his contract during the summer of 2010 to become an unrestricted free agent, which is how he wound up with the Knicks on a five-year contract hovering around the $100-million mark. The strongest statistical year of his playing career came in Knicks colors in 2010-11 when he put up averages of 25.3 points on 50.2 percent shooting, along with 8.2 boards and 1.9 rejections. As a result, Stoudemire became the first Knick to be voted in as an All-Star starter since Patrick Ewing.
His arrival also helped the Knicks end a six-year postseason drought, although the team only managed to get to the second round once during their three straight trips.
"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," Mills said. "When Amar'e asked us to retire as a Knick, we were honored to oblige."
After a cup of coffee with the Dallas Mavericks in 2015, the Cypress Creek product signed with the Miami Heat, suiting up for 52 games last season and 36 starts.