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WATCH: NBA Star Stoudemire Inks 2-Yr Deal With Jerusalem Team, Calls It a “Dream Come True”

by TheTower.org Staff |

Fourteen-year NBA veteran Amar’e Stoudemire signed a two-year deal to play with Hapoel Jerusalem on Monday, calling the opportunity a “dream come true” in an interview with ESPN.

In explaining his decision to retire after 14 seasons in the NBA and instead play in Israel, the six-time All-Star said: “Now also with being part-owner of the team in Jerusalem, I felt it was only right to play in Jerusalem, because my whole journey of reuniting with the Holy Land has always been very important to me and my family.” Stoudmire bought a share in Hapoel Jerusalem in 2013.

“So to have the opportunity to play there is a dream come true,” he continued.

When asked what it means to play for a team he was part-owner of, Stoudmire answered simply: “trying to win.” He then added: “Especially in Israel being able to bring a championship to Jerusalem is massive. It’s a world-changing type of event.”

Hapoel Jerusalem won its first Israeli championship last year and is set to play in the upcoming EuroCup tournament. The team began playing at the Jerusalem Pais Arena in 2014.

“We are thrilled to have a player of Amar’e’s caliber join our team, solidifying our place among the top echelon of Israeli and European basketball,” Ori Allon, the majority owner of Hapoel Jerusalem, said in a greeting published on the team’s website. “More importantly, bringing Amar’e to Jerusalem raises the profile of the entire Israeli Basketball League, and we hope that his joining our team will lead to increased interest in our league from basketball fans around the world as well as talented international players,” he added.

In an essay he wrote for the Player’s Tribune website, Stoudmire reflected on his time in the NBA and explained that while he was retiring from the league, he wasn’t ending his career.

My next step is playing for Hapoel Jerusalem, one of the top teams in Europe. This isn’t about collecting a paycheck overseas, though; it’s a spiritual journey, too.

The Scripture speaks about Jerusalem as a holy place, and I can feel that whenever I’m in the city. This is a chance for me to be a better husband and a better father, to help me lead my family into righteousness. The opportunity to play there, and grow as a player and person, is a blessing.

[Photo: Yonatan Sindel / Flash90 ]

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