NBA

Amare Stoudemire a threat in any Situation

By KEITH NIEBUHR
Published June 5, 2005

Which NBA player would you build a team around?

KEITH NIEBUHR

AMARE STOUDEMIRE A THREAT IN ANY SITUATION

They're scoring machines.

They have physiques built for the game.

And each is fun to watch.

But if I had to pick one young player to build a team around, I'd take Amare Stoudemire over LeBron James - or anyone else - any day of the week.

He's 6 feet 10. He's 245 pounds.

He's agile and gifted enough to play power forward and center, to battle with the big boys on the boards or knock down jumpers from the perimeter. He's a nightmare to defend, and his defensive skills are ever-improving. Opponents often double team him, which leaves others open. He can rebound with anybody and has both a soft touch and the ability to drive around opponents and stuff it down their throats.

There is nothing not to like.

No doubt, James is great. And for that matter, so is Miami guard Dwyane Wade. But Stoudemire shoots at a higher percentage than either, and because of his rebounding skills, he can be more of a force then James and Wade when the shots aren't falling.

Did you see what he did against Tim Duncan?

Now imagine how good he'll be down the road.

[Last modified June 5, 2005, 02:15:25]