The former NBA big man, 43, recently graduated from the police academy in Miami and is now a police officer.This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners.If you sign up or place a wager, FOX News may be compensated.
This content was created by a team that works independently from the FOX newsroom."It’s something I always wanted to do since I was a kid.I remember back when I was in grade school, elementary school.
They asked you on career day, 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' And my initial response was a police officer," Stoudemire told Sports Illustrated.CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGEAmare Stoudemire graduated from the Miami police academy this week.(Miami Dade College)"It runs in the family.
My uncle was a captain.His brother was a deputy.
My cousin is a captain.My sister’s in the academy.
So, it’s a family tradition, basically."Stoudemire took his lessons from the basketball court to the academy, where he endured physical tests and read thousands of pages on policy."It’s a similar situation where you have to have discipline.You gotta have a sense of professionalism.
You have to be able to communicate properly.I think as an athlete, all those things also are important.
Being able to communicate with your fans and the media, but more so, as an officer, you communicate with the community.So I will be able to help steer the next generation in the proper way and catch them before they get in trouble and try to provide some guidance there," he said.Stoudemire spent the majority of his Hall of Fame career with the Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks.
(Miami Dade College; Christian Petersen/Getty Images)SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY OUTKICK NEWSLETTERStoudemire admitted his wife "was a little bit concerned because obviously being a police officer, there’s some danger to it.""But if you are well-trained and you understand your policies and procedures, you’re able to somewhat have officer safety, which is very import...