Aug 15, 2026; Springfield, Mass, USA; Class of 2026 inductee Amar’e Stoudemire speaks during the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement at Symphony Hall Springfield. Photo: David Butler II-Imagn Images via Reuters

Jewish American-Israeli retired NBA player Amar’e Stoudemire was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday in a ceremony held in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The six-time NBA All-Star and 2003 NBA Rookie of the Year played eight seasons with the Phoenix Suns (2002-10) before signing with the New York Knicks (2010-15). He also played for the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat. Stoudemire was the ninth overall pick by the Suns in the 2002 NBA Draft straight out of high school and went on to earn five All-NBA selections.

The retired athlete, who won a bronze medal with Team USA at the 2004 Athens Olympics, finished his 14-year NBA career averaging 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds. He posted a career-high 26.0 points per game in the 2004-05 season and a career-high 9.6 rebounds in 2006-07.

Stoudemire became an Israeli citizen in 2019 and finished his conversion to Judaism the following year.

At Saturday’s induction ceremony, Stoudemire received his Hall of Fame jacket and ring from his children and spoke about his decision to move to Israel and play for the Israeli Basketball Premier League after his career in the NBA.

“At the end of it all, I wanted to go back to a place where I had a special connection,” Stoudemire said in his speech. “I was learning for 20 years prior, secretly. I was learning Torah, I was learning the Bible, the biblical understanding of history, and I wanted to go to a place where I can live and also play. So, I took my talents overseas to Israel.”

“I played in Israel, and I played in Jerusalem,” he said. “I’m there with my family and now go from flying on private planes to five-star hotels, to now taking a bus. Now we were playing in smaller arenas, but I was there for a deeper purpose and a reason.”

Stoudemire played for Hapoel Jerusalem from 2016-2019 and for Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2020 before retiring from professional basketball. He won the league championship in 2017 and 2020, which he was unable to accomplish during his time playing in the NBA.

“I was able to win my first championship in Jerusalem,” Stoudemire said. “I was able to now go back for my last games as a player to Maccabi Tel Aviv and live in Tel Aviv on the Mediterranean Sea, living the dream. I finished my career with a championship and the finals MVP. I’m very blessed to have been able to persevere throughout my career and really be able to finish my career with a championship.”

Stoudemire also talked about receiving his first basketball from his mother as a gift, and how the sport became an outlet that helped him throughout life. He called basketball his “therapist” and “his best friend” early in life as his family moved through many cities and states and dealt with poverty. He concluded his speech by talking about the importance of perseverance and faith.

“The most important aspect that I can give, that I experienced — when you’re growing up in an environment when it’s not easy to make it out of, the most important factor for me was, first of all, stay out of trouble … stay positive, stay focused, stay meaningful, and always keep in mind that perseverance, no matter what one goes through, one can persevere through anything,” Stoudemire said.

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2026 included coach Glenn “Doc” Rivers, contributor and Stoudemire’s Suns coach Mike D’Antoni, basketball official Joey Crawford, and WNBA stars Elena Delle Donne, Chamique Holdsclaw, and Candace Parker. The 1996 Team USA women’s basketball team, which won gold at the Olympics, was also honored. The team included Hall of Famers Lisa Leslie, Rebecca Lobo, Dawn Staley, and Sheryl Swoope.

Watch Amar’e Stoudemire’s full Hall of Fame speech below.