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Shaquille
O'Neal: "When you are 60, hang out with 60-year-olds, not 20-year-olds.
That is all I got to say about Jerry Buss."
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HoopsHype.com Articles One
for the ages
The most productive rookie to come into the league straight from high school offered to take a break so his exhausted coach could get a drink and catch his breath. Johnson declined and hit a pull-up jumper, then drove by his young workhorse and flipped up a finger roll high off the glass. “Samuel L. Jackson!” Stoudemire howled when Johnson hit the deck clutching his side preferring to put on a show rather than admit he needed a breather. “You can’t hit that,” yelled “Fourth Quarter Frank” as Stoudemire pulled up for a 12-foot baseline jumper. Apparently, he can because he did to win the game. It wasn’t exactly the three-pointer at the top of the key he banked in to send Game 1 of last season’s playoffs into overtime, but it did give Stoudemire an excuse for some much-needed competition. Still a week or so away from five-on-five full-court action after recovering from offseason toe surgery, Stoudemire has been able to participate only in shooting drills and light scrimmages during the Suns informal workouts, which began last week at America West Arena’s practice court in Phoenix. A summer of rehabilitation and inactivity on the basketball court has him itching to get back to physical contact and was more than eager to take it out on “Coach Frank,” who was just as happy to oblige. “It gets one of us pissed off at the other,” the third-year head coach later joked. “He’s a competitor, I’m a competitor. It is exciting just seeing him out there and looking at what he can possibly bring again to us.” What Amare Stoudemire brought to the 2002-03 Suns was the spark necessary to bring the most successful franchise in NBA history without a championship back to the postseason after their first absence in 13 years following the 2001-02 season. This time last year, the most often used word coming from the Suns’ organization was “patience.” They had made Stoudemire the ninth pick in the 2002 draft and insisted he would need time to adjust to the power and pace of the NBA game after bouncing around to five different high schools and forgoing a promising collegiate career at the University of Memphis. After a thorough background search, the Suns’ came to the conclusion that, although Stoudemire had been surrounded by negative influences throughout his life, his record was clean and all appearances were that he was a levelheaded mature young man with a strong work ethic and a desire to learn. “Coming into my rookie year I think I was way beyond my years as far as mentally, growing up a lot faster than normal teenagers,” he admits, alluding to an unstable family life while growing up in Orlando. “I think that helped me a lot, but it was a tough ride.” The ride got easier with the economic security of his first NBA contract and, more importantly, stability in his personal life in being surrounded by people who had his best interests at heart. The ride got a whole lot more interesting when starting power forward Tom Gugliotta went down with an injury ten games into the season. The next game, Stoudemire was inserted into the starting lineup and remained there the remainder of the season. With the confidence of a four-year college star he took to the task with ease. He regularly registered double-figures in rebounding and scoring, punctuated by highlight reel dunks, including a particularly spectacular poster jam on the Clippers’ Michael Olowokandi that left Stephon Marbury visibly wincing. Exploding for 38 points against Kevin Garnett and the Minnesota Timberwolves on December 30, Stoudemire thrust himself into the NBA spotlight and was firmly entrenched in the Rookie of the Year race. It was the highest point total for any rookie coming directly to the league from high school and was two short of Walter Davis’ team rookie scoring record. Marbury had arguably the finest season for a point guard in the league for the Suns last season and Shawn Marion continued his ascension among the most productive small forwards. Both were All-Stars and Starbury wound up on the All-NBA 3rd Team. But it was Stoudemire who took the league by storm and beat out international phenomenon Yao Ming for the league’s annual recognition of the top first-year player. Having played through the pain of a bunion on his toe throughout most of the season, Stoudemire had surgery to remove it soon after the eventual champion Spurs eliminated the Suns in a competitive six-game first round playoff series. He has spent the summer allowing it to heal and was unable to participate in the team’s mini-camp and also missed an opportunity to get some valuable offseason playing time at the Rocky Mountain Revue in July. The Suns are as pleased with Stoudemire’s understanding of how much work is ahead as they are of the strides he took last season. The loss of learning hours on the court this summer will be missed, but Johnson is convinced he can make that up with hard work and determination. “I certainly hope he builds on the success he had last year in terms of just playing hard,” Johnson said. “That’s a skill within itself. He was able to do things we can’t teach. In terms of him understanding the different pro sets, he has a better feel for that now. Last summer at this time, we had to teach him all the basics. He was going into the fire in that situation and we were teaching him on the fly last year as we were trying to win games and improve. For the most part, he did very well picking that up.” Stoudemire was receptive from the start to the teachings of the Suns’ impressive coaching staff and is looking forward to picking up where he left off last season. “Just being here last year,” he said, “I learned so much with the great coaching in coach Frank and (Marc) Iavaroni and (Mike) D’Antoni. This year I’ll learn even more because I’ll probably be more patient. “With my quickness, if I can perfect the defense, then I can guard centers, power forwards and guards. If I work on that, then my ballhandling skills and my jump shot, the sky’s the limit.” There may also be no limit to the marketing side of Stoudemire’s career either. He’s been on the cover of most every basketball and sports magazine over the last year, has signed an Nike shoe contract and will appear on Wheel of Fortune’s NBA Week this fall. While he is still getting used to the bright lights of success in the sporting world switch on, the attention and fame are something he is handling in stride and trying to enjoy every step of the way. “It’s fun,” Stoudemire smiles. “I try to enjoy myself every day because you never know when you’re time is up. I’m kind of used to it now. It’s an eye-opener, though. It’s always been my dream to be on magazine covers and do commercials and go on Wheel of Fortune. It’s been a dream come true.” Johnson is impressed with the way Stoudemire has handled his early success and is pleased that he is realistic about how much there is still to learn. “I think he’s done a very good job of being levelheaded,” Johnson said. “To come in here at 19 years old and then be named Rookie of the Year and have all that attention thrown your way, it’s hard not to let it go to your head and get the best of you. He understands that he has a long way to go and he’s working hard to get there. He knows that there’s a long-range goal for him and that’s to lead this team to a consistent championship run and to be one of the best to play the game.” “I never doubt myself and I never underestimate myself,” Stoudemire proclaims. “I try to set high goals every year and if I fall just a little short of those high goals, I’m still okay. That’s the way I look at things.” “Last year, we were just trying to make the playoffs. That was the main goal. This year, we’re trying to make it farther in the playoffs, maybe even try to win a championship. That the main goal, that’s the biggest goal.” Right now his main goal is to play for his head coach instead of against him and in doing so, become a player for the ages. Steven Koek is a regular contributor to HoopsHype.com Tell us what you think about this article. E-mail us at HoopsHype@HoopsHype.com _____________________ |
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