NBA Talk: You Better Watch Out For Amare Stoudemire This Season

Amare Stoudemire, the star power forward on the Phoenix Suns, is forced to wear goggles for the rest of his career. Although that might not suit him throughout his time shooting hoops, he's ready.

Ready? Ready for what? He's ready for this season. After missing most of the season last year, despite scoring 21 points and eight rebounds, he's ready. Amare Stoudemire will be focused this season, and will be a strong competitor.

Two eye surgeries, no big deal to him. Wearing goggles, he can expect worse. Injury machine, heck, that's done for good with him. He's reminding the league that he will be dominant on the court.

With Arizona teams already struggling here so far, with the Cardinals being pummeled by almost every NFL team and the Mercury looking to lose in the Finals to the Fever, it's up to the Suns to show who's boss in Grand Canyon state.

Stoudemire hasn't played for more than eight months and played in his first preseason game not too long ago. He's also showing the league that you can still be assertive even though you had to battle through tough injuries.

"I really enjoy the game of basketball now," Stoudemire said told Marc Stein in an ESPN report. "I did [before], but now I definitely appreciate it."

Now here is Amare, playing in an exhibition game against the Warriors on Saturday Night...outdoors. But you think things are easy for the guy.

No, not at all. 6'10," 250-pound athlete had just recovered from a detached retina in which he had to go through some grueling procedures. These included laying on his stomach for ten straight days, on his stomach.

This certainly must be worst than his injury back in 2005, in which he was rebounding from a microfracture surgery on his left knee.

How is that rehab going for Mr. Stoudemire? Amare recalls on the rehab in just one word: Brutal. No, make that two word: Extremely brutal.

"Hard to deal with, hard to get over, still think about it," he said. "A lot of folks probably wouldn't be able to do it. But it makes you enjoy the moment. I'm just ready to play ball. We don't even talk about the [contract] stuff. I'm just trying to focus on getting myself reacclimated to this team and this system. As far as the season and me being here, I don't think about it. I'm here now, that's how I look at it."

Shaq is gone, so it seems like Amare will be getting a lot of playing time, and I really mean a lot. Stoudemire, Nash, Hill, Lopez and Richardson will be the guys for this season.

But most of those guys mentioned are injured. Can Amare lead his Suns to the playoffs, and most importantly, the Finals? Yes he can. I don't expect him to give up, not one bit.

Why else would he have number one plastered on his jersey?

Ricky Rubio's Hype Status Musters International Bias

It’s just as common as raving about global warming, or if you reside in California, the fragile state budget. Yes, you are wondering what any of this bias has to do with this week's NBA draft.

Oh, believe me, it has much to do with this weeks prejudgment of the draft. I’ve reached a perceptible notion the draft is based on politics, similar to the occurrence of the budget crisis in California or global warming debacles being mentioned from all parts of the world.

Clearly, leading up to NBA’s jackpot, it has mentioned nothing more than politics, involving international draftee Ricky Rubio. Either he’s a bust, or the next talented international prospect braced for reaching the NBA level, whether there are flaws or misleading fragments.

Skeptics have decreed argumentative theories on Rubio, as others are convinced he will stabilize a playmaking culture among the finest top 10. Pleading a case are those who are deeply sensing he’s overhyped, and the biggest international bust to declare for the NBA Draft.

I don’t know if he’s overhyped or worth the hype. And whether Rubio isn’t as advertised and overhyped hospitality, it’s one reason why his political debate has boiled into public attention as masses anoint the Spaniard, welcoming him to the exquisite of America because he’s an international prospect.


Always, international prospects earn more propaganda than American-born athletes. But people are obsessed with Rubio, familiar with his style of play at Beijing in the Olympics, people are anxious after watching video’s on YouTube and people are curious, awaiting his first start on the NBA level.

Maybe he prompted regard for serving in the pros in Europe since he was 14-years-old. Maybe he has amassed global sensibility for stepping into a landscape of higher expectations, where temptations are seeking for the next paramount international prospect and persist in their flowering of globalization.

Marketing in professional sports is troublesome, in which NBA’s commissioner David Stern is striving to modernize the league in globalization.

He planned on expanding the game by exposing the league overseas, and of course, his projection drew controversy. From some viewpoints, it’s the most lurid suggestion for corrupting the game. But Stern viewed it as betterment, in finances and expanding the product.

The expansions were angled to reside in the following countries, such as China, France, Germany, and Russia—good indications to why the game buoys international prospects, and why we have become accustomed to the name Ricky Rubio.

Yet, he will be the only foreign draftee taken by a lottery team, and could even be the only international player selected in the entire first round.

In recent years, the league has regarded international brand of players, which represented pride in all parts of the world. Just a year ago, 11 international players were selected, and four were picked in the first round. Two years ago, five were selected, elated to fulfill dreams, and 13 overall were picked.


Three years ago, incredibly six were offered homes in the first-round and 16 were selected alone. In a year of international fame, it’s Rubio getting praised, and criticized by a fellow draftee, Brandon Jennings, who rebuffed interest in the NBA to play professionally overseas, arrogantly blasted Rubio of being overhyped.

But there are at least a few teams interested in pursuing the 18-year-old sensation, in fact it’s the New York Knicks, who are targeting the Spanish prospect.

I must confide it’s a perfect destination for a rising star: needing upgrades. Assuming reports are accurate, the Knicks have proposed a trade, aiming to acquire the fifth selection from Washington for Larry Hughes, including the expiring contracts of Mike James and Etan Thomas as part of the deal.

Once done, they are considered to maneuver the selection with the eighth pick for the second pick of the draft.

And since we assume NBA-ready prospect Blake Griffin will be picked with the first overall pick, we can envision the Knicks grabbing Rubio.

Realistically, he’s the perfect player to contribute in the transition game, installed by the masterminded coach Mike D’Antoni. You figure Knicks’ president Donnie Walsh doesn’t turn down an offer this charitable, and you would think he’s amassing a package to sent off to acquire Rubio.

And there have been speculates Rubio might even slip down to No. 8 pick, meaning he’ll fall directly into the arms of the Knicks. Walsh is confident Rubio’s draft status could fall, and if so, D’Antoni will have a smile, gladdened he has someone as good as Rubio in his well-emphasized transition offensive.

He fits in well of D’Antoni’s up-tempo dynamic schemes, with phenomenal vision that gives him ability of been a brilliant playmaker. And there’s talent in the draft among guards, such as Tyreke Evans, Jrue Hoilday, Stephen Curry, and Jonny Flynn.

By virtue, he’s considered the most talented prospect to ever travel overseas to translate his singular ability of executing passes, and presenting poise and maturity at such a young age.

Playing in Spain, Rubio solidified the games complexion and energized team. Considering flaws, still with a long career in the professionals, Rubio can amend turning over the ball and drilling jumpers.

It’s a problem that has inhibited him of applause from those who still doesn’t feel he’s worth avowal. Not all are impressed by the Spaniard—if picked as a No. 2 pick overall people are skeptical he will be too expensive to bear at a high cost, if he turns into a bust.

It’s appealing to me that Rubio is already a comparison of Steve Nash, I agree to some extent.

Yes, he distributes the ball extensively, but has substandard shooting, which musters weaknesses. Rarely, he earns a trip to the charity stripe for a pair of free throws, and defensive woes have hurt Spain’s topflight basketball icon.

Although the undersized Rubio won Defensive Player of the Year award, the 6'3'' point guard is insufficient in leaping and takes under 2.5 jump shots per game, converting on five of his 25 pull-up jumpers.

Still, he has to adapt into a solid catch-and-shoot guard. Despite frails, he’s projected to be selected a No. 3 pick owned by Oklahoma City. But the Knicks are an acceptable team for Rubio to land, with his creativity and knowledge of the transition game. Even under D’Antoni, his talent will develop into either a well-rounded guard or a bust.

But I know he’s an international buzz.