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Stand back, Suns' Stoudemire has arrived
Rookie jumps from preps to large impact in the NBA


http://www.gomemphis.com/mca/grizzlies/article/0,1426,MCA_475_1663441,00.html


By Ronald Tillery
[e-mail]
January 10, 2003

PHOENIX - Shawn Kemp, once regarded as a Man Child, did not walk into the NBA with such a physique.

Even Kevin Garnett took longer to impose on the game.

However, mention Phoenix Suns rookie Amare Stoudemire and wrecking shop simply comes to mind.

"Here's a high school kid coming into the NBA and competing right away," Grizzlies assistant coach Tony Barone Sr. said. "Who's the last guy who's done that? I don't know."

What about Moses Malone?

OK, before this goes too far, Stoudemire is no Moses Malone.

But he's sure doing a mean imitation these days.

The 6-10, 245-pound forward, who made the leap from high school, is making an impact not seen since Malone left his prep friends behind for the NBA in 1974.

Not many general managers could forecast 12.3 points and 8.7 rebounds a game when the Suns took Stoudemire with the ninth overall pick.

But for the first time since Charles Barkley was in his prime the Suns have a player who can dominate the paint.

Stoudemire's power, rapid development and apparent maturity are major reasons for the Suns' surprising ascent in the Western Conference.

"He reminds me of Chris Webber when he first came out of high school," said Griz center Lorenzen Wright, whose job is to contain Stoudemire tonight at 8 p.m. CST when their teams meet. "If he had gone to college, he would have been like Chris Webber - a man among boys. He's got a man's body. He can jump out of the gym and run the floor."

If Stoudemire attended college, he'd be a part of a surging Memphis program.

Oh, well.

Stoudemire, 20, now gives new meaning to the phrase "bigger and better."

His greatest practical asset arguably is an ability to rebound in traffic. The insatiable effort and thirst for contact in the paint is what separates Stoudemire.

And he's increasingly shown deft play with the ball on the block.

For example, Stoudemire exploded for 38 points Dec. 30 against Minnesota in only his 31st career game. That point total was the most in league history by a first-year player making the prep-to-pro jump.

When the Suns first met the Los Angeles Lakers this season, Shaquille O'Neal approached Stoudemire and - according to Stoudemire - said, "Keep up the good work. You're going to have a great career."

Standing tall at a young age
Minnesota's Kevin Garnett - who in 1995 was the first to make the jump in more than 20 years - is the only player in the recent high school-to-NBA movement to average 10 points in his rookie pro season. Here is a list of rookie stats for some players who went from high school to the NBA.

Amare Stoudemire (2002): 12.3 points, 8.7 rebounds

Kevin Garnett (1995): 10.4 ppg, 6.3 rpg.

Kobe Bryant (1996): 7.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg.

Tracy McGrady (1997): 7.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg.

Kwame Brown (2001): 4.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg.

Jermaine O'Neal (1996): 4.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg.

Moses Malone (1974, ABA): 18.8 ppg, 14.6 rpg

"What helps me the most is my quickness," Stoudemire said. "That's what allows me to get around bigger defenders. Plus, I know my role. Get rebounds and be active on defense. I guess hard work pays off. If you have passion for the game, it comes easily."

Recent discussion around the Suns has to do with whether Stoudemire will hit the fabled "wall" - where young players who are unaccustomed to the NBA grind start to run out of energy.

Suns coach Frank Johnson pointed out that, "when you're having success, you might not hit that wall."

Grizzlies forward Pau Gasol never hit the wall last season.

Besides, part of Stoudemire's allure is that he seems to be a student of the game.

"Early on, I was making quick moves and turning it over," Stoudemire said. "Now, I'm taking my time instead of rushing my shot. I'm understanding the game a lot more. . . . I was planning on coming into the season averaging maybe 10 points, eight rebounds. That's what I told my old coach back in high school. Right now I'm doing a little better than that. I'm just going to try to continue to do better."

Much was made of Stoudemire's troubled youth before the 2002 draft. Stoudemire attended six high schools in five years and played just two years of basketball. His mother and brother have spent time in jail.

Barone said the Grizzlies saw Stoudemire six times and the trepidation never centered on maturity or raw talent. Instead, scouts wondered how long it would take for him to thrive in an NBA setting.

Now that Stoudemire's abilities are anticipated, teammates marvel at his level head.

"He doesn't wear hip-hop stuff, or a lot of jewelry," Suns guard Penny Hardaway said. "He wears custom-made clothing, not a lot of jeans or T-shirts. That lets me know he has some maturity. He's much more mature than a 20-year-old, especially for somebody playing at this level."

Even Stoudemire is in awe. That is, when he stops to think about what's happening.

"I don't think anybody else has done this, played two years of high school, skipped a level, then played in the NBA and done well," Stoudemire said. "I just look at it as a gift from God."

- Ronald Tillery: 529-2353

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