Amar'e Stoudemire Graduates Police Academy, Joins Miami-Dade School Police
The former NBA All-Star completed rigorous training and was recognized for his contributions to the academy program.
Former NBA All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire has completed his training at the Miami-Dade Police Academy and will join the county's school police department.
Stoudemire, 43, graduated from the academy on Wednesday after months of intensive training. Miami Dade College, which posted about his achievement on Instagram, noted that he received the Harry ‘Coach’ Everett Award for his contributions to the program throughout his time there.
“Amar’e Stoudemire made his mark on the basketball court. A six-time NBA All-Star, 2003 Rookie of the Year and newly inducted Basketball Hall of Famer, he played for some of the league’s biggest teams, including our very own Miami Heat,” the college stated in its post.
Stoudemire, who played five seasons with the New York Knicks from 2010 to 2015, told Sports Illustrated that becoming a police officer was a long-held ambition. "It's something I always wanted to do since I was a kid," he said.
He explained that law enforcement is a family tradition, with several relatives having served in police roles. Stoudemire described the academy's training as more physically demanding than his NBA career, involving more extensive running and rigorous drills.
His wife initially expressed concerns about the career change due to the inherent risks, but Stoudemire emphasized the importance of thorough training and understanding policies and procedures for officer safety.
Stoudemire's recent achievement follows his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in August. He had a 14-season NBA career, averaging 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Prior to joining the Knicks, he played for the Phoenix Suns and later had stints with the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat. He also played professionally overseas before retiring in 2020.
In late 2022, Stoudemire was arrested on misdemeanor charges related to an alleged incident with one of his daughters, but the charges were dropped in January 2023.