During the NBA All-Star game on Sunday night, Frank Isola of the New York Daily News dropped a bombshell that Amar’e Stoudemire and the New York Knicks reached a buyout agreement. It was reported that the decision would come during the All-Star break but the timing was still shocking as it happened during the game. It left Carmelo Anthony very vulnerable as he knew he would face a slew of reporters from all over the country in town for All-Star and they all would have one topic to now ask him about.
Carmelo Anthony took a seat at the podium and yes the very first question was about Amar’e Stoudmire, “Damn, that’s the first question? You’re not gonna ask about the weekend?” Anthony responded.
Anthony then lamented on losing his friend and acknowledged that Amar’e was a major reason he’s in a New York Knicks uniform today.
“One of the main reasons I’m a New York Knick today was because of him. To see him leave, to see the situation where it’s at today, I know what he wants and you have to respect that as an athlete as a competitor,” Anthony said. “… When he came [to New York] he brought back some excitement to the game of basketball here in New York. There was hope when he came back. People started believing in the New York Knicks again. He was the main reason for that belief and for that hope.”
Though many Knicks fans have grown to despise Amar’e due to his inability to stay healthy there’s no denying the point Anthony made. Stoudemire did bring excitement back to New York basketball and that early time before his body broke down was some of the best basketball played in the city in quite some time.
“He wants to play for a championship is what I’m hearing,” Anthony said. “He wants to play for a contender, so I don’t think nobody should hold that back from him.”
I’m sure Anthony understands that feeling and this is something that was inevitable.
