When the 60th NBA All-Star Game is played at the Staples Center on Feb. 20, Big Apple hoop fans will be treated to the sight of Amar’e Stoudemire being on the floor for the opening tip.
Barring injury, Stoudemire, the fifth leading vote-getter in the Eastern Conference, is slated to become the first New York Knicks player to start an All-Star Game in nearly two decades.
Since signing as a free agent last summer, Stoudemire has infused new life into a franchise that was once regarded as the laughingstock of the league.
This season, Stoudemire is averaging a career-high 26.1 points per game, second only to Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant. Most importantly, though, Stoudemire has the Knicks poised to make the playoffs for the first time in six years.
Surprisingly, given the franchise’s rich history, Stoudemire is just the fifth Knick selected to be an All-Star starter since fans began voting in 1974. The last Knickerbocker to start was Patrick Ewing in 1992. The Hall of Famer was elected again five years later, but couldn’t play due to injury.
Stoudemire will join Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, LeBron Ja ...
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Article written by Ronald Monestime
New York Knicks’ Amar’e Stoudemire Among Starters for NBA All-Star Game
January 27th, 2011 by Ronald Monestime Leave a reply »
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