In 2002, Amar'e Stoudemire decided to skip college and jump straight to the pros. He declared for the draft after a strong senior year in high school, where he averaged 29.1 points, 15.0 rebounds, and 6.1 blocks per game.
The Florida native's vast array of offensive moves was already apparent at such a young age, and scouts were raving about how great he could possibly be in the NBA. One of them even compared him to Karl Malone .
"He's got a good first step, a mid-range J, a drive," the scout said of Stoudemire, as reported by SLAM. "I hate to say this, but he's got a little Karl Malone in him. Imagine him at age 26."
Not quite Malone
As everyone knows, Amar'e never really became Malone, although he did show flashes of potential to become like "The Mailman." The former Phoenix Suns star even posterized the Hall of Famer once in 2003 to display his athleticism.
Unfortunately, he failed to live up to the hype that surrounded him during his earlier years in the Association. While an argument can be made that Stoudemire had Hall of Fame talent, the latter part of his career has prevented him from joining the Utah Jazz legend in Springfield.
Injuries also significantly contributed to Stoudemire's inability to build on his strong seasons. It's worth noting that every time he averaged more than 25.0 points per contest in a campaign, he underwent major health issues in the following offseason or regular season.
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Occasionally like Malone
Still, there were stretches where the six-time All-Star looked like an elite power forward like Malone. He even gained recognition as one of the finest big men of his generation and once earned astounding praise from Shaquille O'Neal, who said "STAT" was "four or five steps better than I was at the age of 25."
Perhaps one of the reasons Stoudemire was able to flourish in a similar way to Malone was that he had the privilege of playing alongside an elite floor general. While he had Steve Nash to make plays for him, the two-time MVP got plenty of help from John Stockton.
Unfortunately, both pairs failed to secure themselves the greatest prize in the NBA. While the Utah Jazz duo went on two straight trips to the Finals, only to lose to the Chicago Bulls both times, Amar'e and Nash couldn't reach that stage at all. Aside from injuries to Stoudemire, the Suns in the middle of the 2000s had several roadblocks to the championship stage, including Western Conference powerhouses, the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, and Los Angeles Lakers.
Related: "I'll be the student. You'll be the teacher" - Amar'e Stoudemire on how bad he wanted Steve Nash to return to Phoenix
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