Amar'e Q&A

DaTPRiNCE

The Knicks are Back
The Post?s Steve Serby sat down on Thursday afternoon with the 6-foot-10, 27-year-old power forward after he officially became a Knick on a five-year, $99 million sign-and-trade deal.

PAUL J. BERESWILL
Amar'e Stoudemire

Q: Your definition of swagger?
A: Swagger is something that you are born with. Some folks can practice it. But on the basketball court, it?s really more so knowing that you?re good. When you know you?re a good player, your swag comes out and it takes you to a different level.

Q: You?ve always had it?
A: I have always had it. I was blessed to be a good basketball player at a young age, and the swag just kept growing from there

Q: On a scale of 1 to 10, where is your swag at now?
A: My swag is probably at 9.8 (laughs). Hopefully the city of New York will get my swag up to a 10.

Q: So the best is yet to come?
A: Absolutely the best is yet to come.

Q: Describe your on-court temperament.
A: I?m always playing chess on the basketball court.

Q: You see yourself as a thinking man?s basketball player?
A: Absolutely. You definitely have to have a high IQ to play the game at a high level.

Q: What do you hope Knicks fans say about you?
A: I leave my heart out there between the lines.

Q: You see yourself as a pioneer to bring winning back to the Knicks?
A: The winning era started back with Walt Frazier and Willis Reed and Dave DeBusschere . . . then it kinda came back with Patrick Ewing and those guys . . . then again with Allan Houston and those guys. It?s now time for the Knicks to go ahead and bring that winning feeling back to the city.

Q: Your best game at any level?
A: In Indiana two years ago, I had 49 points,
11 boards, six steals, two blocks, seven assists.

Q: Most unfair criticism you?ve received?
A: It would probably have to be not being a great defensive player. Being in high school, I never had the opportunity to get taught defensively. I?m looking to take the next step to be known as a defensive player.

Q: Sitting behind home plate at a recent Yankees game?
A: Derek Jeter was telling me I should come to New York before he went up to bat.

Q: What did you tell him?
A: I told him, ?It?s possible.? At the time, it wasn?t a done deal.

Q: Meeting Ringo Starr?
A: We took a helicopter over from New York to Mr. Dolan?s (Hamptons) place. I told him in my room, I have a huge poster of the Beatles right above my bed. Also with Joe Walsh, he?s one of the big-timers from the Eagles. It was definitely a lot of fun.

Q: The first time you dunked?
A: I was in the gym alone and I dunked and I ran the two miles home and told all my friends and no one would believe me.

Q: Favorite dunks?
A: It may be the dunk over Anthony Tolliver. . . . It might be the dunk over (Adonal) Foyle. . . . It may be the dunk over Michael Olowokandi . . . maybe the dunk over Kevin Garnett. . . . It might even be the dunk over Tim Duncan.

Q: Describe what that feeling is like.
A: It?s like the ultimate power rush, because it?s like mano-a-mano.

Q: What was it like playing against one of your favorite players, Shaquille O?Neal, the first time?
A: I had a great time. I asked him a few questions, and he gave me encouragement.

Q: What did you ask him?
A: ?What does it take to become a great player??

Q: And what was his answer?
A: ?You?re on the right track.?

Q: What was it about him that appealed to you?
A: His personality was outgoing, and he did something I had never seen before ? tearing down backboards and ripping down rims.

Q: One Mike D?Antoni story.
A: Mike wanted us (Suns) to outscore every single team by as many points as we could.

Q: Every night?
A: Every night.

Q: Your relationship with him?
A: Our relationship is great. We look to keep that going.

Q: Steve Nash?
A: Steve Nash is the Tony Hawk and Wayne Gretzky of basketball.

Q: Athletes in other sports you admire?
A: Peyton Manning is the ultimate professional. . . . He?s great in his commercials, he?s great in the community. As far as boxing, I would probably go with Floyd Mayweather ? he hasn?t lost a fight yet. The way he prepares for his fights, he gets himself in top shape. As far as soccer, I?m gonna say Landon Donovan.

Q: Baseball?
A: My favorite is Ken Griffey Jr. . . . Derek Jeter is the ultimate pro, the way he carries himself on and off the baseball diamond.

Q: You played wide receiver growing up . . . favorite football player?
A: Deion Sanders, ?cause he was from Florida, and he was swagged out.

Q: You shuffled among six high schools, lost your father when you were 12. You?ve had microfracture knee surgery and detached retina surgery. Are you proud of yourself for persevering?
A: That?s why they call me The Bionic Man (laughs). It?s made me a better man today.

Q: What qualities do you think you have that enabled you to persevere?
A: Oh man. Self-discipline is one main quality that keeps me out of harm?s way . . . setting goals . . . being a trend-setter, being a leader. I definitely thrive on leading by example. Being a positive leader.

Q: Did the microfracture surgery give you concern about your career?
A: It definitely wasn?t fun to deal with. I didn?t know what to expect coming off the injury. Some days I felt great, some days I didn?t. Now I?m 100 percent.

Q: The right eye surgery?
A: It was definitely something that was an eye-opener, if I could say. A lot of time thinking and studying and reading. I had to lay face down 22 hours a day for 10 straight days.

Q: Which was scarier?
A: The scarier one for me was the eye procedure.

Q: Were you scared your career could be over?
A: Yeah definitely. I had no idea what a detached retina was.

Q: Lake Wales, Fla.?
A: Small town . . . everyone knows each other. There was also a lot of trouble and you had to make sure you stayed focused on your goals.

Q: What kind of trouble?
A: Any time you have a small town, you have troublemakers. I kept myself out of trouble.

Q: You were 12 when your father passed away.
A: I was very, very close to my father. It was something I never want to go through again.

Q: Favorite tattoo?
A: Probably my kids? names (daughter Ar?e, son Amar?e Jr).

Q: Where are they?
A: My (right) hand.

Q: How many tattoos do you have?
A: I think I have about
13 tattoos.

Q: Who would you pick to play you in the movie?
A: I?m thinking somebody young. Ray Allen did a great job as Jesus Shuttlesworth in ?He Got Game? and Spike Lee directed it. But I?d have to pick Will Smith.

Q: Favorite NYC things?
A: The restaurants, fashion, plays, the people.

Q: The people?
A: The people are so passionate about their sports. . . . They?re passionate about the city of New York, and they love the city as much as I do.

Q: Favorite NYC restaurant so far?
A: STK.

Q: Will you live in Manhattan?
A: I?m not sure yet.



saw this on the NYPost website its a pretty cool read dude sounds cool calm and collective, sounds like he's ready to take over NY :peace:
 

XxWinKnicksxX

Benchwarmer
What more can you ask for. Interview wise. This dude is a man among boys. Hes got the passion. I hear that loud and clear. I know he wants to win. IMO some of these players in the NBA don't care and don't put it all on the line and give it 100%. I'm not going to begin with all the over payed knicks I can think of. Past is in the past. You wont get know where looking at it, except beat the hell down. I like this.
 

DaTPRiNCE

The Knicks are Back
yea this guys is gonna go hard and really wants to solidify himself as one of the greats(all time). you can already make a case for him but needs some more accolades to solidify it. and i think reviving NY to the contenders they were then that should do it. He has the Swag cut out for NY and he wants to prove he doesnt need Nash to be a monster

hes got my support and hearing this interview just makes me that more confident in him
 

Bunta

Benchwarmer
I liked that he mentioned he wants to improve his defence, for a while now we have been hearing that he has the ability and the physical gifts to play great defence but didnt care....sounds like he cares now :D

But do we have any one on the staff that can help him be as good as he wants to be on that end?
 
hey man for a raw PF his career avg in blocks 1.5 isnt shabby being that during the post season look at the bigs he was always guarding, Dirk, Gasol, Duncan, I mean those guys put up big numbers on any one no matter what you do on defense, and as in every other position ( which are all upgrades ) he is an upgrade defeinisively from lee
 

Bunta

Benchwarmer
hey man for a raw PF his career avg in blocks 1.5 isnt shabby being that during the post season look at the bigs he was always guarding, Dirk, Gasol, Duncan, I mean those guys put up big numbers on any one no matter what you do on defense, and as in every other position ( which are all upgrades ) he is an upgrade defeinisively from lee
I watched him play a bit this year and i actually agree with you that he is not a bad defender at all, and lots better than Lee. Furthermore it is fantastic that he himself has said he wants to be 'great' on the defensive end! Gotta love that sort of motivation.
 
Top