Amar'e Stoudemire

1.) Who inspires you, and why?

2.) Why are movie plot ideas getting progressively worse?

3.) Who is your favorite NBA Player?

During the summer of 2005, former Phoenix Suns power forward, Amar'e Stoudemire, underwent micro fracture surgery to fix cartilage damage in his knee. It was apparent that he would require a substantial amount of rehabilitation before he could return to playing at his former level, but Sun's administration and Phoenix fans alike were optimistic that he would be running the court by the middle of the season. Unfortunately, Stoudemire was unable to play with the same strength and endurance he has possessed prior the injury, and his season was cut short. For the 2005-2006 season, Amar'e Stoudemire averaged 8.1 points, a whopping 18 points less than he averaged the previous year. This statistic was believed to be the end of his success in the NBA and Stoudemire was temporarily closed of as being a viable source of success for the team. To their disbelief, and after hours of conditioning alone, he returned the next season stronger than ever, playing in ALL 82 games and averaging 20.2 points per game. Stoudemire had reclaimed his position as Prince of the Phoenix Suns.

In the summer of 2010, Stoudemire shocked the NBA fanbase by announcing his decision to leave the Phoenix Suns and sign a 5-year, 100 Million Dollar contract, with the New York Knickerbockers. The very people who supported him during his period of injury in Phoenix, quickly painted him as an enemy, stating that "Stoudemire needed the Suns, more the Suns needed him." Both NBA analysts and fans predicted that his statistics would drop sharply as a result of his decision, some even predicting that his average points per game would decrease from 23.1 to the mid-teens. More notably, people were shocked at his decision to sign with a team who had been ailing for the past decade. The Knickerbockers were known throughout the league as one of the worst teams in the NBA, a team that contained a disorganized administration and weak roster. Yet again, Stoudemire disproved his critics. Not only did he average 25.2 points per game in his first season with the Knickerbockers, he also single-handedly led the team to their best record in six years. Stoudemire is no longer recognized as being the former Prince of Phoenix, but now the King of New York.

Is it his hunger to prove his disbeliever wrong, that makes me admire him? Is it his ability to lead a team out of the gutters to glory, that makes me admire him? Is it the way that he "posterizes" opponents in his way, that makes me admire him? Its the conglomeration of all of these things plus more than makes me respect and find Amar'e Stoudemire to be so excellent. He brought the spirit of arguably the greatest sport ever created back to one of the greatest cities in existence. That in itself deserves praise. His conviction to not only the game, but to better himself, is something I so desperately wish I could have. It's for all of these things, that I will forever consider Amar'e Stoudemire to be my favorite NBA player of all time.