Transcript [00:00] And we're waiting for Amar'e Stoudemire [00:01] to make his first appearance. [00:03] >> This is a young kid coming out of high [00:04] school. [00:05] >> Amar'e Stoudemire with the rebound. [00:06] >> Amar'e with another block. [00:09] >> Amar'e, listen. [00:10] >> Hey, go [ __ ] yourself, Turtle. [00:11] >> I'm talking about some power. [00:14] >> Power is to the rack. [00:15] >> I like this. [00:16] >> Amar'e Stoudemire, the big star of stars [00:18] tonight. [00:21] >> How often do you watch clips of [00:23] yourself? [00:24] >> I don't watch clips of myself very [00:25] often, actually. [00:27] Um, I see some pop up here and there on [00:28] Instagram or social media platforms, but [00:31] I don't watch them very often. I know [00:33] I'm going to be surprised by something [00:34] that's going to pop up here, I'm sure. [00:36] Uh, I'm not sure what it's going to be, [00:37] but I know I'm going to be surprised. [00:38] >> Let's get into high school. [00:40] >> Mhm. [00:44] >> The 19-year-old from Cypress Creek High [00:47] in Orlando, he is kind of a Ben Wallace [00:50] clone in terms of rebounding and [00:53] >> Ben Wallace clone, wow. [00:56] Bad assessment, Kenny. [00:58] >> Amar'e Stoudemire, 16, 245. [01:03] >> Oh, man, wow. [01:06] Kid full of confidence. [01:10] Yeah, that was a nice dunk right there. [01:13] High school between the legs, that's the [01:14] East Bay funk. See, back when I was in [01:16] high school, we called it the East Bay [01:17] funk. [01:18] Okay. [01:20] You know, so [01:22] not bad for a 6' 10". [01:24] Oh, 360 windmill, okay. [01:30] Perfect 80. [01:32] Nice. That's the McDonald's All-American [01:34] Slam Dunk contest. I really enjoyed that [01:35] moment. Obviously, you play the game to [01:37] be the best you can be in high school, [01:38] try to make a name for yourself and to [01:40] be chosen as an All-American [01:42] is the ultimate goal for a high school [01:44] player. I played 2 years of high school [01:45] basketball. My freshman year, I was in a [01:48] city called Lake Wales, Florida, played [01:50] half a season, start hanging around the [01:52] wrong crowd, [01:53] and asked my high school coach, "Can I [01:55] transfer to a school for a better a [01:57] better environment. And I went to Mount [01:59] Zion, played there, and then I played [02:01] again my senior year in high school. So, [02:03] those are my 2 years I played in high [02:05] school basketball. [02:06] And I was able to go from high school to [02:08] the pros. [02:09] >> That's incredible that you only did 2 [02:11] years and you're a five-star recruit. [02:12] >> Yeah, it was a special it was special to [02:14] be able to make that happen. Um [02:16] obviously to only play 2 years of [02:17] basketball, you don't have enough [02:18] experience to really show your talent to [02:20] the world. You just got to play. And [02:22] throughout my high school career, that's [02:23] what I did to maintain my [02:25] my um my skill level. [02:29] >> With the ninth pick in the 2002 NBA [02:32] draft, the Phoenix Suns select Amar'e [02:35] Stoudemire [02:36] >> Mhm. [02:36] >> from Cypress Creek High School in [02:38] Lakeland, Florida. [02:41] What a difference uh a year makes. [02:43] >> Wow. Look at my little bro. [02:46] The fresh cornrows. [02:50] Uh man, what a moment. My cousins. [02:54] Yeah. [02:57] Incredible. [03:03] Incredible. [03:12] Kenny was wrong once again. Kenny, man, [03:14] you over two, man. But you know what? I [03:16] got I you know, I got to let Kenny know [03:17] because high school, they might have [03:19] only seen a little bit of my clips being [03:21] only played 2 years of high school [03:22] basketball. So, they might not have had [03:24] a lot to see. But the Phoenix Suns saw [03:26] it and knew right away [03:27] um from my pre-draft workouts, Mr. Jerry [03:30] Colangelo um saw my talents and drafted [03:32] me here with the ninth pick to the [03:33] Phoenix Suns. When I got to Phoenix, [03:35] Arizona, I felt like I was in a [03:36] different world. I was in this desert [03:38] region. [03:39] Uh very clean, uh very organized. I knew [03:42] it in that particular city I could [03:44] really focus on my game. And I needed [03:46] that as a as a young 18, 19-year-old. I [03:48] needed that sense of calmness. And [03:51] Phoenix offered that for me. I was [03:52] thinking about going to the University [03:54] of Memphis, but I knew from my freshman [03:56] year I wanted to go straight to the high [03:57] straight to the NBA out of high school. [03:58] My friends probably thought, man, what's [03:59] that talking about, man? He's he's [04:01] freshman in high school. We you know, I [04:02] used to write on the walls with a [04:03] Sharpie. It's probably wasn't a good [04:05] thing to do from a vandalism standpoint, [04:07] but I was able to write on the bleachers [04:09] and the walls my signature straight out [04:12] of high school and I probably tagged [04:14] about five different locations before I [04:16] transferred. [04:17] And sure enough, four years later [04:20] I was drafted. [04:23] >> Suns lead 24 to 19. [04:27] Marion will float it high post right [04:29] side of the lane. And Scott Williams is [04:31] back to the bucket. Finds Stoudamire. [04:32] >> Okay, nice jumper. Nice jumper. [04:36] Interesting. [04:37] That was my first basket? [04:39] >> First basket, first game, yeah. [04:40] >> Wow, I've never seen this before. [04:43] It's a jumper. [04:44] Kenny Smith, that was great. I mean, I [04:46] was so excited to play basketball in the [04:48] NBA. It was my dream. I was a student of [04:50] the game of basketball. I watched all [04:51] the greats. Michael Jordan, Shawn Kemp, [04:54] Penny Hardaway, Shaq. All these guys [04:55] were my favorite players, but I was so [04:57] focused on the game to where sometimes I [04:59] forget who I'm playing against. I'm [05:01] playing against a great player trying to [05:02] dominate and attack him as if he's a guy [05:04] at the park. I was nervous. I was wasn't [05:07] sure what to expect. I was a little bit [05:09] afraid, but once I scored that first [05:11] basket [05:12] it all went away. [05:20] Mhm. [05:24] Nice with the reverse. [05:29] Oh, man. [05:34] In the first half. [05:42] Oh, this is different energy on the [05:44] court. I don't see that in today's game. [05:46] I don't see it, especially from a [05:47] rookie, 18 19 year old. I I won't see it [05:50] in today's game. And this game was [05:51] incredible because [05:53] it was Stephon Marbury and Garnett [05:56] button heads. Stephon was like, [05:57] "Stoudamire's better than you when you [05:59] was that age." And then Garnett was [06:00] like, "No, he ain't better." I'm like, [06:01] "Hey, hey, [06:02] leave me out of it." And so they start [06:04] talking about me. Now I'm getting upset. [06:05] So then now I'm like, "All right, I got [06:07] to I got to show I got to show I want [06:08] them about." So I went on to score 38 [06:10] points that game as a as a rookie [06:12] uh with 16 rebounds. Coach Frank Johnson [06:15] came to me after the game. He said, [06:16] "Hey, you should have got the ball more. [06:17] You could have had more points." I [06:18] wasn't messing around. I wasn't smiling. [06:20] It was no time to play around. I would [06:22] attack, you know, the game as if it was [06:24] my last game I'm going to ever play. It [06:26] was a moment where I felt like I was [06:28] starting to become unstoppable. [06:30] And I felt great about it. [06:34] >> Mr. Garnett and Mr. Colangelo are here [06:36] tonight to present the 2003 Got Milk NBA [06:39] Rookie of the Year Award to our own [06:42] Amar'e Stoudemire. [06:44] He averaged 13.5 points and 8.8 rebounds [06:47] while appearing in all 82 regular season [06:49] games for the Suns. Congratulations, [06:52] Amar'e, and thank you, Russ and Mike, [06:53] for joining us this evening. [06:58] >> Wow. [07:01] Wow. [07:03] That was special. As a high school [07:04] player, you never think that you can go [07:06] into the NBA and win Rookie of the Year. [07:07] Before that point, it had never happened [07:09] before. And it was just a it was just a [07:11] battle. [07:12] And I wasn't planning to win Rookie of [07:13] the Year. I was just planning to be the [07:14] best that I can be. During that year, I [07:16] was competing against a guy named Yao [07:17] Ming, who's the Hall of Famer, who was [07:19] the first pick in the draft, who was the [07:21] biggest name since maybe Shaq going into [07:24] the NBA. Kenny Smith saying, "This kid's [07:26] going to take a few more some more time [07:27] to get developed and you get ready." [07:30] No one knew the expectation of what I [07:32] was going to bring to the table. [07:34] And then to win the Rookie of the Year [07:36] as a high schooler, to be the first to [07:37] ever do that, was truly special. [07:43] >> from 19 [08:01] >> Playoffs as a rookie. Wow. [08:05] You play high school, you go to these [08:06] tournaments, nothing can prepare you for [08:08] the NBA playoffs. [08:09] Nothing. Different energy, lights are [08:11] brighter, the crowd's cheering on your [08:13] team if you're home or booing you if [08:15] you're away. You're competing against [08:17] some of y'all all-time greats, which we [08:19] saw Tim Duncan there as one of the [08:20] all-time greats, for sure. And to try to [08:22] compete against these guys as a as a [08:24] high schooler, basically, it's a [08:26] challenge. It's a challenge. [08:27] >> Where did you see yourself going after [08:30] this? [08:30] >> I was trying to make the All-Star team [08:32] the next year. [08:34] I mean, I was trying to go for it. That [08:35] off season, I went from I went to [08:37] training like a All-Star to prepare [08:38] myself for my for my sophomore year to [08:40] become an All-Star. [08:42] So, that was my that was my goal going [08:44] into my second year. [09:08] Wow. [09:09] That was that was special special. I [09:11] knew Steve was a soccer guy [09:13] or football, as they call it overseas, [09:15] yeah. To see Steve do these tricks and [09:16] stuff with the basketball in practice, I [09:19] figured, you know what? I want to add [09:20] some of that to the dunk contest. We [09:22] practiced it maybe once or twice in [09:23] practice. I said, all right, let's do [09:24] it. We got the perfect perfect pass, [09:26] perfect play. And the thing is, at this [09:28] time, the dunk contest was starting to [09:30] fade, and that's when you hear the guys [09:32] say, "The dunk contest is back. The dunk [09:33] contest is back." because we brought [09:35] this exciting element, something that [09:37] the world have never seen before, thanks [09:38] to the [09:39] two-time MVP Steve Nash [09:41] with the great assist. Yeah, the duo was [09:43] was um [09:45] was incredible actually because as we [09:47] see my rookie year, my second year, I [09:49] was on my way to being an All-Star and [09:53] we didn't have a point guard. And so [09:54] when Steve came along and the first day [09:56] of practice we started playing and he [09:57] threw a pass behind the back and I [09:59] bobbed dunked it back and I was like, [10:00] "Whoa." I can see the front office [10:04] and the guys watching like [10:06] "Holy smokes." From that point on [10:09] we just hit the ground running. Steve [10:10] was a pass-first point guard. I was a [10:12] player with this athleticism and speed [10:14] and agility and quickness and we just [10:16] happened to mesh right away. [10:18] And we had an incredible run. [10:47] I was uh [10:48] determined not to lose. Did not want to [10:50] lose that game. Did not want to lose [10:52] that game. I went to help off the drive [10:55] and he found Tim Duncan right there on [10:57] the easy drop-off pass for the dunk. I'm [10:59] like, "No way." Cuz if he scores this, [11:01] it's over. So I jumped, I blocked it. My [11:03] hand almost went inside the rim, but it [11:05] was just one of those determinations of [11:06] like not not wanting to lose. It's not [11:08] happening. It's not happening. [11:10] And my teammates appreciated it. Working [11:12] with Coach Mike D'Antoni was was new for [11:14] me. [11:15] Right? Cuz I was always a natural [11:17] power forward. [11:19] When I grew up I was playing small [11:20] forward because of my quickness and [11:22] agility. So I went to Mike D'Antoni and [11:23] he said, "Stat, I want you to play the [11:24] five." What? [11:26] The five? [11:27] Cuz now I got to guard seven-footers and [11:29] I got these you know these heavy guys, [11:30] Shaq and these type of players and you [11:32] know, Mutombo and these guys. I'm like, [11:34] man. So, at first I was very reluctant, [11:36] but I said, you know what, it's my [11:37] coach. I respect his call. Let's go for [11:39] it. [11:41] And once that happened, [11:42] the game shift. Then I start realizing [11:45] Mike D'Antoni's offensive [11:47] genius. Then I start saying, oh, I'm a [11:49] point center. I'm like, oh, I can do it [11:51] all, you know. [11:52] We we started this little run and we [11:55] started the seven seconds or less [11:56] offense. We were taking the league on by [11:58] storm. [12:00] We were winning every game by 20 points [12:02] or so. We were 60 something odd wins and [12:05] we propelled ourselves to go to the [12:07] Western Conference Finals to compete for [12:08] a championship. [12:10] And in that game, we just did not want [12:12] to lose. [12:12] >> You averaged 37 points, which is the [12:15] highest point average by a West [12:16] Conference Finals player. [12:18] >> Yeah, averaging 37 points is not easy in [12:20] the Western Finals. That's unheard of. [12:23] Magnificent. [12:24] I don't watch my clips very often. And I [12:26] look back and I see these clips and I'm [12:27] like, man, I was [12:30] wasn't that bad as a player. [12:31] It just takes me to a different realm of [12:33] like [12:34] what I was able to accomplish in the [12:35] type of player I was when I played. [12:59] Yeah. [13:01] That one. [13:03] I thought Nash was dead. [13:07] He got hit so hard to the scoreboard and [13:09] he laid out flat on his back. I thought [13:11] he was I thought he was [13:13] I thought something was wrong. That is [13:14] when I stepped on the basketball court [13:15] walking toward Nash to check on him. [13:17] Later realized you can't walk on the [13:19] court. Like, I wish I had known that [13:20] beforehand. I wouldn't have walked on [13:21] the court. And that's the game, that's [13:23] the series where a lot of people say if [13:24] we'd have won that series, we could have [13:25] won a championship. If it the ruling to [13:27] come back to suspend myself and Boris [13:29] Diaw for that game, to the leading [13:31] scorer, leading rebounder, and shot [13:33] blocker off the court, playing against [13:35] Tim Duncan, we didn't stand a chance. We [13:36] lost the next one. I came back 38-16, [13:40] but again, the momentum had shift [13:43] uh and San Antonio won that series. [13:45] >> Well, in the NBA, stars win. [13:49] And Amare Stoudemire has been the star [13:51] of stars tonight. 41 points. [13:55] Steve Nash orchestrating that [13:57] devastating pick-and-roll, that two-man [13:59] game that's the best in the NBA. [14:02] And Amare Stoudemire, Marv, has answered [14:04] the critics here today. [14:05] >> He's taken a lot of heat. I live in [14:07] Phoenix, and I've heard it the last 3 [14:08] days. He's been a target of everybody. [14:11] >> Well, it's understandable the way he [14:13] played was not active the first two [14:15] games. Three rebounds and [14:17] in game number one, [14:19] >> It's true. [14:20] Those first two games was tough for me. [14:23] Mind you, I'm playing the five. Lamar [14:24] Odom 6'10, [14:26] Andrew Bynum 7'1, Pau Gasol 7'1, and [14:29] their job is to stop me from doing what [14:31] I do. Those first two games was like, [14:33] I'm I'm battling giants now. I got I'm [14:35] over I'm overmanned. Got two 7-footers [14:38] and a 6'10 guy, [14:40] and it's only me in the paint. So, I [14:41] said, "You know what? Just got to rise [14:42] above it. Don't matter." Came back game [14:45] three, 41 points, but playing the Lakers [14:47] was never easy [14:48] um in the playoffs cuz Kobe Bryant, [14:50] blessed memory, was unstoppable. [14:54] We tried everything we can do with Kobe. [14:56] Trap, on catch, we [14:58] front the post, we try to deny him. All [14:59] right, guys? This is the game plan, [15:00] okay? This right here you see on this [15:02] paper is the game plan. We know it's not [15:04] going to work, but just for your [15:06] information, this is the game plan. It's [15:08] just It's just nothing we can do with [15:09] Kobe, but I was able to uh to come out [15:11] in this game and and [15:13] put up 40-plus points. We had a lot of [15:15] opportunities to win a championship. We [15:17] competed every year to win a [15:18] championship. It was tough. It was tough [15:20] in the West at that time. We you San [15:21] Antonio Spurs with three Hall of Famers [15:23] at the Lakers three Hall of Famers [15:25] possibly depending on [15:27] the era. But Lakers and the Spurs were [15:28] always two tough teams for us. Phil [15:30] Jackson was sitting in one seat and [15:32] Popovich in the next seat. They were [15:34] stronger than we were. [15:38] >> Knicks off to their best start since [15:40] 2001-2002. [15:42] They've now won seven of their last [15:44] eight. They are third in the league in [15:45] scoring Clyde at 107 a game and much of [15:48] it the scintillating performances of [15:50] Amar'e Stoudemire. [15:51] >> Yeah, Stat has not disappointed trying [15:54] to restore the Knicks back to their [15:55] former prominence. [15:56] >> Ooh. [15:57] >> And he leads by example. First guy in [15:58] practice, last to leave. I've been [16:00] impressed with his tenacity on the [16:02] defense, blocking shots, keeping them [16:04] alive and [16:06] his infallibility on the offense. [16:08] He's just relentless going to the [16:10] basket, will not be denied. Confidence [16:12] is suffering and he's [16:14] having a 24 game going to the eight. [16:19] >> New York. [16:22] Wow, raised in New York [16:24] from my third grade to my eighth grade [16:26] year. And at that time the franchise was [16:29] looking for hope. It was nothing [16:30] happening, right? The players was afraid [16:32] to come to New York, but to represent [16:33] New York on that jersey moment in my [16:35] career that I would never forget. The [16:37] fans [16:39] truly appreciate the hard work. And like [16:41] Clyde mentioned, I was the first in [16:42] practice, [16:43] the last to leave. I led by example and [16:45] it helped us propel us for for success. [16:48] >> Come on, Amar'e. [16:50] >> Come on, Amar'e. What? [16:51] You think cash grows trees? [16:52] >> Your trees, maybe. [16:54] >> I got to think if I want to put the [16:55] original 250 in with you, Turtle. [16:56] >> I'm telling you, Amar'e, you don't want [16:58] to miss out on this. I got everybody. I [17:00] got Melo. I got Eli. I got Strahan. [17:02] >> Oh, you got Strahan, huh? Who got me for [17:04] what? [17:05] >> I spoke to him today. [17:07] >> And Turtle's on his don't text me thing. [17:08] >> Oh, yeah. [17:09] >> He called for more money. [17:10] >> Oh, yeah. [17:11] >> What did you tell him? [17:11] >> Told him to go [ __ ] himself. [17:13] Amar'e, listen. [17:14] >> Hey, go [ __ ] yourself, you, Turtle. [17:16] >> Oh, wow. [17:19] My man, Turtle. Yeah, he had a nice run [17:22] in the acting world. I really took it [17:24] serious and I focused on that craft as [17:25] well when I was acting. [17:27] I really enjoyed it. It was great to [17:28] hang out with the guys on set, to talk [17:30] to the actors and actresses, how they [17:32] attack their role, and how to build the [17:34] chemistry with this particular scene and [17:36] this line. Different set of skills. [17:38] Different set of skills. You can't You [17:40] can't show brute force in the acting. [17:43] You got to You got to You got to be able [17:44] to use your um [17:46] your imagination a bit. You got to [17:47] become the character. You got to [17:48] understand the role in which you're [17:49] playing, and you have to understand [17:51] who's playing that role their roles [17:53] around you and interact with their [17:54] energy as well. So, it's a different [17:56] type of skill set. [17:57] >> Again, here he's going trying to go [17:59] left. It's very difficult when he goes [18:01] left to make [18:02] a clean pick up and attack. He misses [18:05] the first shot and gets the second shot [18:07] to go in. And look at the rebound. [18:09] Wall will bring his left hand up. Sort [18:12] of tips it to himself so he can gather [18:14] it. [18:15] And then on the [18:16] second shot, again, very reluctant to [18:18] get that left hand in there on the [18:20] initial catch, but give him credit. [18:23] >> A guy coming back off that severe of an [18:24] injury, and he gives you 19 points and [18:27] seven rebounds [18:29] in only 28 minutes so far. You've got to [18:31] be very, very pleased. [18:34] >> Fire extinguisher. [18:37] I understand. It's one of those moments [18:38] where you're frustrated, and I want to [18:41] buy and try to hit the wall [18:43] just like out of frustration, and you [18:45] accidentally catch the edge of the fire [18:47] extinguisher case, and you realize your [18:49] hand is [18:52] half cut open. To the point where I'm [18:54] still walking in the locker room like [18:55] the game's over, I'm still upset. [18:58] And my teammates like, "Stat, look at [18:59] your hand." [19:01] Like, [19:02] "Oh, sh [19:04] Training staff came in, [19:06] tried to bandage it up, get it together. [19:08] Word get out, and there's like a [19:10] thousand different media outlets waiting [19:12] for me outside of the locker. [19:14] And it was an embarrassing moment, [19:16] but I was able to then still go to the [19:17] Met Gala [19:19] and enjoy my time with Anna Wintour and [19:21] then the fashion world. Also, had a game [19:23] to play in the playoffs that I had to [19:24] focus on. And as you saw in this clip, I [19:26] was able to do my job as well. [19:50] Yes, Miami, 305. I went back home to [19:53] finish off my NBA career. It was always [19:56] a team I wanted to play for, [19:57] organization I wanted to play for [19:58] because of Pat Riley, one of the jewels [20:00] of the NBA. [20:02] Right? And to play under Pat Riley in [20:03] Miami was brilliant for me to cap off my [20:05] career in that way. I've been able to [20:07] play under Pat Riley, [20:09] Phil Jackson, [20:11] Mike D'Antoni, not to mention the [20:13] All-Star coaches and the Olympic [20:14] coaches. Pretty fun career. [20:17] Uh and to cap it off in Miami was [20:18] perfect for me. [20:20] Pretty um important moment for me, [20:23] announcing my official retirement. [20:25] And um you know, it's been it's been a [20:27] great ride. I'm sure everyone has been [20:29] documenting my my journey far as with [20:31] the Holy Land over the past [20:34] six, maybe seven years. Uh my interest [20:37] in playing in in Israel. And at this [20:39] moment, that dream has come true. Um I'm [20:42] now able to play for Hapoel Jerusalem, [20:44] a team that um [20:46] that I'm looking forward to playing [20:47] with. And so, we um I'm excited about [20:49] the next journey. [20:51] Mhm. [20:52] Retirement announcement. [20:54] Had the braids. [20:57] It was a real moment, but I knew I [20:58] wasn't retiring for good. It's more so [21:00] NBA retirement. I didn't want to be the [21:02] player who bounced around from team to [21:04] team. I had young children, and I didn't [21:06] want to go each year from one team to [21:08] the next. I felt like Miami was the [21:10] perfect way to [21:11] end my NBA career. And then I took my [21:13] talents overseas. So, I've never seen [21:15] this clip before, by the way. I've never [21:16] seen this this footage. I've never seen [21:18] I've never seen my retirement speech. [21:20] Didn't know I had one. [21:22] But, to take my talents to Israel, which [21:24] obviously goes back to when I was a kid, [21:26] and my connection with God, and to be [21:27] able to now go overseas, not only to go [21:30] and learn, but also to play in Europe, [21:33] and play against talents in Europe, and [21:34] take my talents to go experience the [21:36] world, and it helped prepare me with to [21:38] to be who I am today. My conversion to [21:40] Judaism started back when I was a kid. [21:43] I always knew there was a connection [21:45] with the Bible and the Torah. I always [21:47] knew that when I was a kid. My mom [21:49] mentioned to me that we are from the [21:51] lost tribes of Israel. [21:53] And we have to reconnect to the laws of [21:55] Moses. So, I started learning. I started [21:57] learning how to keep the laws, [22:00] what that meant, how can I improve [22:01] myself. Once I gathered the information, [22:04] and I went to Israel in 2010, [22:06] and I saw it for myself, and that's when [22:09] I decided to [22:10] to go through my reconnection, I call [22:12] it, to to Judaism. It's been the [22:13] greatest thing ever since. [22:44] Wow. [22:45] I'm at a loss for words. [22:47] That chant, that song [22:50] that the people of Jerusalem created for [22:51] me. It was so exciting for me to be [22:53] there and play. [22:54] And to bring a championship to the city, [22:57] and I did it with with with so much [22:59] compassion and and love and and joy. And [23:02] to see these this clip, I haven't seen [23:04] this either. [23:05] Just it brings back the memories of that [23:07] song. Amar'e Amar'e Amar'e [23:10] It's truly incredible. [23:23] That's right, baby. [23:26] In the post. [23:28] Excuse me. [23:35] Championship game. [23:38] Championship game. My last year [23:40] ever playing professional basketball [23:43] to play for organization like Maccabi [23:45] Tel Aviv in Israel. To have my son with [23:48] me living with me at the time. To watch [23:50] me and dedicate myself to the sport as a [23:53] 38-year-old [23:54] 38-year-old [23:56] being in great shape, setting examples [23:58] for guys like Deni Avdija who's now an [24:01] NBA player who was on that team with us. [24:02] And to cap it off with [24:05] a championship and a finals MVP to end [24:07] my career. [24:09] Special way to go out. The the clips of [24:11] me playing here in Israel, I mean I have [24:13] I have more emotion almost almost to [24:15] tears being engulfed in the city. [24:18] Being engulfed in the in the city uh was [24:20] incredible for me. And and to see it how [24:22] much it means to me in my personal [24:23] journey to see the the clips and the [24:25] footage uh I get overwhelmed by [24:27] emotions. [24:33] Hm. [24:41] There it is. [24:43] Wow. That's what it's about. [24:46] Legacy. Legacy. [24:49] It's funny how this game of basketball [24:50] can take you around the world from the [24:52] Olympics to playing overseas to then [24:54] being you having your jersey retired, [24:55] your children seeing it. [24:57] I was a kid once, about 16 years old, [25:00] and I remember my AAU coach asking me, [25:03] "Say, Ace that, [25:04] you know, what do you want out of this [25:05] basketball stuff? What do you want to [25:07] What do you want to accomplish?" I said, [25:08] "You know what? [25:10] I want to be a Hall of Famer. My mom [25:11] always told me reach for the stars. My [25:13] father last words ever told me was to [25:15] read to him Psalms 23, [25:19] "and the sky's the limit, and I love [25:20] you." When my father tell me these [25:22] words, [25:23] I was the type of kid who will obey my [25:25] parents, and that's what I did. I [25:26] reached for the stars. I reached for the [25:28] sky, being a Hall of Famer. [25:32] Can't get any higher than that. [25:36] Awesome work. Love it. I loved it. It [25:37] was great.
