Amar'e Stoudemire tries his hand at broadcasting
This offseason, Amar'e Stoudemire is trying his hand at something other than basketball.
The 32-year-old is apparently preparing for his post-playing career, as he participated in a broadcasting skills program at Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
The "Sportscaster U" course, put on by the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) from June 5-8, introduced its participants to a production crew "of about 10 people with more than 130 years of combined experience in the field," according to an NBPA release. Joining Stoudemire were other current and former NBA players: Kelenna Azubuike, Danny Granger, Matt Bonner, Randy Foye, Robbie Hummel, Nazr Mohammed, and Jason Thompson.
Stoudemire and his fellow students went through various training sessions, including practicing studio commentary and analyzing the upcoming NBA draft in panel format. They also practiced live commentary for Game 2 of the NBA Finals while learning the differences between commenting on radio and TV broadcasts.
Stoudemire finished the 2014-15 season with the Dallas Mavericks, who picked him up off waivers, after he and the New York Knicks reached a buyout agreement in February.
He is an unrestricted free agent this summer.