Ex-Knicks Star Amar'e Stoudemire, Maccabi Tel Aviv Agree to Contract

Amar'e Stoudemire will continue his professional basketball career in the Israeli Premier League after signing a deal with Maccabi Fox Tel Aviv.

"I am very humble for the opportunity, happy to be in Israel, the place that I love," Stoudemire said. "I have a chance to play in the highest level in Europe, which is a dream come true."

He played in Israel last season with Hapoel Jerusalem, while his post-NBA career has also included stops in the BIG3 basketball league and the Chinese Basketball Association.

Stoudemire, the ninth overall pick of the Phoenix Suns in the 2002 draft, earned six All-Star selections and was named to the All-NBA First Team in 2007 before retiring from the NBA in 2016.

The Florida native averaged 18.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 blocks while shooting 53.7 percent from the field across 846 regular-season appearances. He also played 78 playoff games, averaging 18.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks.

Now 37, Stoudemire had been talking about an NBA comeback since last summer, saying his style of play is a perfect fit for the modern game.

"Where the game is going, it's fast-paced and a quick game," he told Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel in July 2018. "I'm one of the originators at that game, and I feel I'm still able to compete at that game."

He's made two stops with Hapoel Jerusalem in Israel and has been a force in the more wide-open BIG3 since walking away from the NBA three years ago.

Stoudemire averaged 16.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in eight games for Tri-State during the 2019 season. He signed with the Fujian Sturgeons in China after failing to land an NBA contract before the start of the 2019-20 campaign.

With the NBA still not calling, he was able to find a new home in Israel where he will join fellow Americans Quincy Acy, Othello Hunter, Scottie Wilbekin and Nate Wolters.