Amar’e Stoudemire will pay Hakeem Olajuwon $100,000 for two weeks of tutelage

[stb]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/amar-e-stoudemire-pay-hakeem-olajuwon-100-000-151646393--nba.html

[GreenFaith1819]

IMO, the most complete center to ever play the game.

Amare is learning from one of the best.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBrEsNS9zKg

[KCattheStripe]

IMO, the most complete center to ever play the game.

Amare is learning from one of the best.

+1. He also gets credit for being the only player of his generation to win the two years Jordan was gone.

[DesP898]

He might actually learn how to play defense.

[ewp]

+1. He also gets credit for being the only player of his generation to win the two years Jordan was gone.


Well, along with the other members of his team.

[Interceptor]

Good on Amar'e for making the effort to improve himself.

[Finkelskyhook]

Good on Amar'e for making the effort to improve himself.

100% agree.  Way better than playing glorified pick up street ball like his teammate.

If Stoudemire could give them 10 paint points per game they're a different team.  Provided it doesn't cost the snitchster too many touches.

He might actually learn how to play defense.

Actually...Woodson even had the snitchter playing some defense.  Not terribly worried about Stoudemire in that respect...Although any help from Olajuwon would be great for anybody. 

[OsirusCeltics]

Why is the amount of money being mentioned?

[RyNye]

Meh, I doubt this will change much. When you have been playing for as long as Amar'e has, it is REALLY difficult to change your game, even if you are learning from the best. Because when something is new, you have to think about it, and in tense game situations you go to what comes natural. The human brain is really bad at naturalizing new tricks to replace old ones (old dog can't learn new tricks).

It's possible this will help, but honestly, Amar'e has been such a scrub recently his ceiling is to return to average level production.

[Finkelskyhook]

IMO, the most complete center to ever play the game.

Amare is learning from one of the best.

+1. He also gets credit for being the only player of his generation to win the two years Jordan was gone.

NBA officials must've been really confused during that era...Where they went back to calling games by the rulebook.

[Chris]

This is interesting, and will be fun to watch.  Amare really does have great hands and feet, and should be a better low post player.  I just don't think he has ever put the effort into learning it (sound familiar Lebron?).  When you are an exceptional athlete like he used to be, and can dominate without needing that aspect of the game, which he could do, then it is tough to put in that extra effort to add that part.

I will be very interested to see if working with Hakeem can help him, because if he can build a strong post game, it could really extend his career and put him back in the upper echelon of big men in the NBA.

[CelticG1]

2 weeks?

Yeah I don't think that's going to do anything.

Maybe there head is in the right place but you aren't going to learn anything in 2 weeks

[AB_Celtic]

This is interesting, and will be fun to watch.  Amare really does have great hands and feet, and should be a better low post player.  I just don't think he has ever put the effort into learning it (sound familiar Lebron?).  When you are an exceptional athlete like he used to be, and can dominate without needing that aspect of the game, which he could do, then it is tough to put in that extra effort to add that part.

I will be very interested to see if working with Hakeem can help him, because if he can build a strong post game, it could really extend his career and put him back in the upper echelon of big men in the NBA.

Not after his little fire extinguisher incident.

[Chris]

2 weeks?

Yeah I don't think that's going to do anything.

Maybe there head is in the right place but you aren't going to learn anything in 2 weeks

Why?  He can learn it in 2 hours.  He just needs to practice it for longer.  2 weeks is more than enough time to learn the footwork and the moves, but then it will be a much longer commitment to create the muscle-memory to master it.  But Hakeem doesn't have to be there for that part.

...actually, Hakeem doesn't need to be there for any of it, he is part of this as a publicity ploy.  But the point is, it sounds like Amare is making an effort to learn to play in the post.  Which is a step in the right direction and towards possibly reviving his career.

[Lord of Mikawa]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/amar-e-stoudemire-pay-hakeem-olajuwon-100-000-151646393--nba.html

At least The Dream will be making bank while Amare learns nothing.