American-Israeli basketball star Amar’e Stoudemire has secured his place in the Naismith Hall of Fame, one of the sport’s highest honours.
The six-time NBA All-Star who converted to Judaism after retiring was selected by US basketball’s North American Committee for his outstanding contribution to the game.
That included playing 14 seasons in the NBA – with the first eight seasons for the Phoenix Suns – winning Rookie of the Year for the 2002-03 season and winning a bronze medal with the US team at the 2004 Olympics.
Stoudemire, 43, also played professionally in Israel, where he won two Israeli Basketball Premier League championships, was named an All-Star twice and won the league’s Finals MVP in 2020.
He was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame last year and granted Israeli citizenship in 2019.
Stoudemire, who converted in 2020, also coached at the Maccabiah Games and owns a kosher wine brand.
He supports the Black Hebrew Israelite movement, which posits that African-Americans are the descendants of the ancient Israelites.
Using the Instagram handle “amareisrael”, he regularly posts on social media about studying the Talmud and other Jewish texts.
Stoudemire told his followers on social media the day after Hamas’ invasion on October 7: "I woke up this morning with some disturbing news out of Israel that Hamas [are] kidnapping children, putting them in cages, killing women, killing the elderly. That's some coward s**t. That's cowardly. And for all y'all Black Live Matter [supporters] who ain't saying nothing, [saying] 'Let me figure out exactly what's happening before saying anything', f**k you.’"
Other Jewish basketball stars in the Hall of Fame include Sue Bird, who was inducted last year, Nancy Lieberman, Nat Holman, Barney Sedran, Max Friedman and Dolph Schayes.
The official Hall of Fame induction will take place the weekend of August 14.
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