Remember Amar'e Stoudemire? This Year, He'll Be Slam-Dunking His Way Into The Hall of Fame

In the mid- to late 2000s, few highlights were as eye-popping as an Amar’e Stoudemire dunk.

Everything about it was done with top-tier athleticism: the footwork, the catch, the elevation. Taking full advantage of Steve Nash’s superb playmaking, Stoudemire gave video editors plenty of footage to include in their highlight reels.

This year, he’ll be rising into an entirely different level of basketball excellence. As reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania on Tuesday, Stoudemire will co-headline the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, class of 2006.

There are always two sides to a story, and as far as Stoudemire’s fans are concerned, his accomplishments command the spotlight as of this very moment. 

In an era when eligibility rules for the NBA Draft looked somewhat different, the 6-foot-10 forward was drafted straight out of high school. Though Stoudemire, a former standout of Orlando’s Cypress Creek High School, had initially committed to Memphis for his college years, he ultimately decided to take the leap to the pros.

The headlines surrounding the 2002 NBA Draft were dominated by 7-foot-6 Chinese star Yao Ming, but in the season that ensued, it was the no. 9 pick Stoudemire taking home Rookie of the Year honors. Stoudemire’s Phoenix Suns weren’t playoff contenders until Suns GM Bryan Colangelo signed Steve Nash in the summer of 2004. Ultimately, what Colangelo did was to create the most lethal pick-and-roll duo since Karl Malone and John Stockton.

The chemistry between Stoudemire and Nash was a thing of beauty, and it translated into regular season wins and deep playoff runs. Stoudemire’s statistics saw a significant uptick, and his resume would gain more entries as well: As a member of the Suns, he earned five All-Star selections and four All-NBA nods.

In the wild summer of 2010, Stoudemire signed with the New York Knicks, where he would eventually be joined by Carmelo Anthony. That early 2010s squad in Madison Square Garden was a joy to watch as well, with Stoudemire rocking the rim and Anthony torching the nets from the perimeter.

Critics, of course, will point to the lack of Finals appearances and championship hardware in Stoudemire’s career. However, in the bigger picture, his body of work with the Suns in particular was enough to inspire a new wave of fast-paced offensive systems, which would eventually become the norm in the NBA.

With his high-flying exploits and his cultural significance, Stoudemire has built a solid case for Hall of Fame induction. In August, the finest slam dunk of his legacy will take place as he rises on the HOF stage.