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 eace:
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 eace: