Former NBA star Amar’e Stoudemire recently reflected back on his time with Nike/playing in the 2002 McDonald’s All American Game at Madison Square Garden (will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame tonight). 

(via Phoenix Suns):

“I was with Nike, man, since high school. I went to Nike All-American Camp. All the guys went to ABCD Camp. I went to Nike All-American Camp. So I was with Nike since high school, and my signature shoe came along a few years after I signed my first contract with them, which was my third or fourth year in the NBA I think it was. As far as playing in the McDonald’s Game at the Garden, I had two emotions. One, that I was upset with McDonalds because they had me compared to Ousmane Cisse and somebody else. I’m like, ‘You compare me to who?’ I was like, ‘What?’ And I didn’t start, and I was the top player in the country. And so, I was little upset by that. But playing in the Garden was special because it’s like, you look around like, ‘Woah, this is heaven right here.’ And you play with an out-of-body experience because now you’re like, ‘I don’t even know where I am, but I’m out here playing.’ It was very special.”