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Stoudemire to Revisit Israel as a Coach Stoudemire to Revisit Israel as a Coach
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As players did layup drills in a high school gymnasium in Toronto one afternoon last August, John Dore disappeared briefly and returned with a tall guest wearing a black skullcap. As players did layup drills in a high school gymnasium in Toronto one afternoon in August, John Dore disappeared briefly and returned with a tall guest wearing a black skullcap.
Dore will coach the Canadian basketball team at this summer’s Maccabiah Games, the quadrennial sports event that will begin July 18 in Israel. The man whom he escorted into the gym was his assistant coach for the tournament, Knicks forward Amar’e Stoudemire, whose entrance prompted a hush among the players.Dore will coach the Canadian basketball team at this summer’s Maccabiah Games, the quadrennial sports event that will begin July 18 in Israel. The man whom he escorted into the gym was his assistant coach for the tournament, Knicks forward Amar’e Stoudemire, whose entrance prompted a hush among the players.
For the eclectic Stoudemire — he also has written children’s books and is the subject of a documentary that will have its premiere April 19 on EPIX — the coaching role is new but the destination will not be. He visited Israel in 2010, shortly after signing a free-agent contract with the Knicks. That trip, he said then, was spiritual in nature. For the eclectic Stoudemire, who has also written children’s books and is the subject of a documentary that will have its premiere April 19 on EPIX, the coaching role is new, but the destination will not be. He visited Israel in 2010, shortly after signing a free-agent contract with the Knicks. That trip, he said then, was spiritual in nature.
The coming visit promises to be uplifting, too, especially if Canada earns the gold medal, something it last accomplished in 1997. But Canada has scored a coup just by getting a star of Stoudemire’s magnitude to Israel, especially one who professed in his previous trip that he believed he might be partially Jewish. The coming visit promises to be uplifting, too, especially if Canada earns the gold medal, something it last accomplished in 1997. Canada has scored a coup just by getting a star of Stoudemire’s magnitude to Israel, notably a star who professed in his previous trip that he believed he might be part Jewish.
That he coach rather than play does not disappoint the Canadian organizers, who see Stoudemire’s involvement as spurring interest in their team and in the international Maccabi sports movement. That Stoudemire is coaching rather than playing does not disappoint the Canadian organizers, who see his involvement as spurring interest in their team and in the international Maccabi sports movement.
“It was a bit of a dream scenario to reach out to Amar’e because of his discovering his Jewish roots and his playing basketball,” Alex Brainis, the head of Maccabi Canada’s delegation, said. “We figured that if he said yes, this would be a big recruiting tool.”“It was a bit of a dream scenario to reach out to Amar’e because of his discovering his Jewish roots and his playing basketball,” Alex Brainis, the head of Maccabi Canada’s delegation, said. “We figured that if he said yes, this would be a big recruiting tool.”
When offered the post, “Amar’e was nothing but enthusiastic,” Brainis said.When offered the post, “Amar’e was nothing but enthusiastic,” Brainis said.
Stoudemire, who is recovering from knee surgery and may be able to return to the Knicks in the first round of the N.B.A. playoffs, will be one of the most recognizable faces at this summer’s Maccabiah, as the event is known. The Maccabiah has long boasted of being the Jewish Olympics. It is the world’s third largest athletic event, behind the Olympics and the Asian Games. In all, 8,500 athletes from 70 countries are expected to compete in 2013. Stoudemire, who is recovering from knee surgery and may be able to return to the Knicks in the first round of the N.B.A. playoffs, will be one of the most recognizable faces at the Maccabiah, as the event is known.
Canada will take 600 athletes and coaches to compete in four divisions: junior, open, masters and Paralympics. The basketball roster for the open-division team — for which Stoudemire will coach — is to be completed next week, Dore said. The Maccabiah has long boasted of being the Jewish Olympics. It is the world’s third-largest athletic event, behind the Olympics and the Asian Games. In all, 8,500 athletes from 70 countries are expected to compete in 2013.
The networking that reeled in Stoudemire worked like this: Brainis, a guard, played for Dore in the 2005 Maccabiah. Dore’s assistant coach there was Glen Grunwald, a close friend who had been fired the previous year as the Toronto Raptors’ general manager but still lived in the city. Last year, Brainis asked Dore to call Grunwald, who by then was working as the Knicks’ executive vice president and general manager, to help make the introduction to Stoudemire. On a visit to the Knicks’ practice facility during last year’s Knicks-Miami Heat playoff series, Dore formally extended the job offer in a conversation with Stoudemire in the trainer’s room. Canada will take 600 athletes and coaches to compete in four divisions: junior, open, masters and paralympic. The basketball roster for the open-division team — which Stoudemire will help coach — is to be completed next week, said Dore, who is also the coach at Concordia University in Montreal.
Stoudemire was unavailable to comment for this article, although a number of requests were made through the Knicks and one of his publicists. But by all accounts, he has been actively involved in his Maccabiah assignment. At last summer’s tryouts, he worked with each player. He paid particular attention to the big men, advising them on effective post moves, pump fakes and passing out of a zone. The networking that reeled in Stoudemire worked like this: Brainis, a guard, played for Dore in the 2005 Maccabiah. Dore’s assistant coach there was Glen Grunwald, a close friend who had been fired the previous year as the Raptors’ general manager but still lived in Toronto. Last year, Brainis asked Dore to call Grunwald, who by then was working as the Knicks’ executive vice president and general manager, to help make the introduction to Stoudemire. On a visit to the Knicks’ practice facility during last year’s Knicks-Miami Heat playoff series, Dore formally extended the job offer in a conversation with Stoudemire in the trainer’s room.
Stoudemire did not respond to a number of requests for comment that were made through the Knicks and one of his publicists. Still, by all accounts, he has been actively involved in his Maccabiah assignment. At last summer’s tryouts, he worked with each player. He paid particular attention to the big men, advising them on effective post moves, pump fakes and passes out of a zone.
In one scrimmage Stoudemire “came onto the court and showed how, when the big man gets the ball, the zone collapses on him, and what kind of read he should have,” said Ave Bross, a point guard on the team, who plays at McGill University.In one scrimmage Stoudemire “came onto the court and showed how, when the big man gets the ball, the zone collapses on him, and what kind of read he should have,” said Ave Bross, a point guard on the team, who plays at McGill University.
When the Knicks visited Toronto for a mid-February game against the Raptors, Brainis and several other Maccabi Canada officials met Stoudemire for dinner. Brainis said everyone was impressed by Stoudemire’s attention to detail and readiness to get going.When the Knicks visited Toronto for a mid-February game against the Raptors, Brainis and several other Maccabi Canada officials met Stoudemire for dinner. Brainis said everyone was impressed by Stoudemire’s attention to detail and readiness to get going.
“He asked specific and pointed questions not only about Israel but about the composition of the roster and whether the team would be more effective playing zone or man,” Brainis said. “It was not necessarily a conversation we were expecting to have, but we were all very impressed by his level of knowledge.“He asked specific and pointed questions not only about Israel but about the composition of the roster and whether the team would be more effective playing zone or man,” Brainis said. “It was not necessarily a conversation we were expecting to have, but we were all very impressed by his level of knowledge.
“He talked about some of the players who tried out and some who didn’t yet make a decision, waiting to hear from several pro teams. It was all in his head — he definitely didn’t come with notes. It showed that he did his preparation.”“He talked about some of the players who tried out and some who didn’t yet make a decision, waiting to hear from several pro teams. It was all in his head — he definitely didn’t come with notes. It showed that he did his preparation.”
Dore said he and Stoudemire spoke occasionally by phone and exchanged text messages throughout this season. Stoudemire will attend the final training camp in Toronto in July before the team departs for Israel, Dore said. Canada’s first game there is scheduled for July 19, with its opponent not yet determined. Dore said he and Stoudemire spoke occasionally by phone and had exchanged text messages throughout this season. Stoudemire will attend the final training camp in Toronto in July before the team departs for Israel, Dore said. Canada’s first game there is scheduled for July 19, with its opponent not yet determined.
While Stoudemire has not indicated that his future career plans include coaching, Dore, a native of Woodhaven, Queens, who will be coaching the Maccabiah team for the fifth time, thinks the experience may prove insightful.While Stoudemire has not indicated that his future career plans include coaching, Dore, a native of Woodhaven, Queens, who will be coaching the Maccabiah team for the fifth time, thinks the experience may prove insightful.
“What he’ll bring to the team is individual skill development,” Dore said. “He’ll also be learning about himself, as to whether he wants to pursue a coaching career. This is his first go-round in coaching. It’ll be a great experience for him.” “What he’ll bring to the team is individual skill development,” Dore said, adding: “He’ll also be learning about himself, as to whether he wants to pursue a coaching career. This is his first go-round in coaching. It’ll be a great experience for him.”