So, about that whole “Amar’e Stoudemire is retiring” thing …

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As it turns out, the whispers that Marc Stein was hearing when STAT announced “his retirement as a player in the National Basketball Association” (ah, that careful word choice!) last week were founded in fact. Word trickled out on Sunday …

Amar'e Stoudemire agreed to deal with co-owned Hapoel Jerusalem to become best-ever NBA star in Israel. https://t.co/FbRb03vzPJ — David Pick (@IAmDPick) July 31, 2016





Basketball officials in Israel tell @espn they expect Amar'e Stoudemire to announce Monday that he'll play next season for Hapoel Jerusalem. — Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 31, 2016





… and the deal was confirmed on Monday morning. The 33-year-old power forward/center will continue his career overseas, signing a two-year deal with Hapoel Jerusalem, the Israeli basketball club in which he bought an ownership stake back in 2013.





Stoudemire made the move official in a Monday morning press conference at Madison Square Garden in New York, and in a piece posted to The Players Tribune:

I may be retiring from the NBA, but I’m not saying goodbye to basketball just yet. My next step is playing for Hapoel Jerusalem, one of the top teams in Europe. This isn’t about collecting a paycheck overseas, though; it’s a spiritual journey, too.

The Scripture speaks about Jerusalem as a holy place, and I can feel that whenever I’m in the city. This is a chance for me to be a better husband and a better father, to help me lead my family into righteousness. The opportunity to play there, and grow as a player and person, is a blessing.

While Stoudemire — who averaged 5.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in 14.7 minutes per game in 52 appearances for the Miami Heat last season — isn’t nearly as dominant a force as he was in the earlier stages of his career, before knee and back injuries robbed him of the athleticism that made him such an offensive terror, the six-time NBA All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection and 2003 NBA Rookie of the Year still becomes the best and most decorated player ever to suit up in the Israeli Basketball League.

Stoudemire will sell his shares in the club to majority owner Ori Allon — with whom Amar’e first partnered on the purchase — as part of his contract to join the team, according to Hapoel Jerusalem’s statement announcing the deal:

“We are thrilled to have a player of Amar’e’s caliber join our team, solidifying our place among the top echelon of Israeli and European basketball,” said Dr. Ori Allon, President and majority owner of Hapoel Jerusalem. “More importantly, bringing Amar’e to Jerusalem raises the profile of the entire Israeli Basketball League, and we hope that his joining our team will lead to increased interest in our league from basketball fans around the world as well as talented international players.” […]

“I am looking forward to playing for Hapoel Jerusalem and helping the team compete for titles,” said Stoudemire. “My family and I are excited to start a new journey in Israel, a country I have grown to love.”

One of the oldest clubs in Israel, Hapoel Jerusalem won the 2014-15 Israeli Basketball League title and finished second last season. It will compete in the 2016-17 EuroCup tournament, Europe’s second-tier continental competition, one step below the Euroleague; it last won the EuroCup in 2004, and hopes that adding Stoudemire’s scoring, experience and leadership will lead to both continued domestic success and a return to trophy contention in international play.

“What impressed me most when talking to Amar’e was his deep desire to come play for Hapoel Jerusalem,” said head coach Simone Pianigiani in a team statement. “His experience will be a great asset to our team. I’m confident he will have a positive impact on our season, and I look forward to it.”

In the summer of 2010, shortly after signing a five-year, $100 million contract with the New York Knicks, Stoudemire traveled to Israel to explore what he believed might be “Hebrew roots” through his mother, Carrie, in a “weeklong visit to learn about Israel, its language and religions,” according to The Associated Press:

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