Suns.com: What are you going to take from your experiences of this past season?
Amaré Stoudemire: As a learning tool. This whole year was a lot of situations you’ve got to learn from. That’s a good thing that it happened so early in my career. Now I know what to expect from certain situations. All the trades, coming back from injuries, coaching change, a lot of different situations that went on this year. I think we handled it pretty well and I’m pretty sure we’re going to learn from it.
We kind of overachieved last year. This year started out kind of slow, going nowhere pretty fast. I think Jerry and Bryan (Colangelo) came with the decision to make a couple of trades and a couple of moves, and try to restart it.
I got injured and when I came back I was ready to play. The game was becoming fun to me, even though we weren’t having the greatest season in the win column. But I was learning the game a lot more. I was more into the offense, so I was able to learn different strategies and I think that’s helped me right now, because they’ve come up with different strategies on the defensive end with triple-teams and double-teams everywhere I catch the ball.
It kind of surprised me when they started (double-teaming me) on the perimeter. That surprised me because I’m an inside player. I guess they figure I’m a threat on the outside, as well. It’s something I’ve got to learn and thank God it’s coming to me so soon because within a year or two I’ll have it down pat.
Suns.com: What do you feel this team accomplished in the latter part of the season?
I think we accomplished how to play better defense. I think that was the main focus this year. We knew we weren’t going to make the playoffs. It was down to the last stretch of the regular season and we just figured we would just come out and learn the game, and try to learn on the defensive end.
Suns.com: How tough was it for you to handle losing this season?
Stoudemire: It was extremely tough for me because I hate to lose. I really hate to lose, but it’s something every player has to go through, especially if you’re striving to be great. You have to lose first in order to enjoy the taste of winning. It’s a good thing, I’m just learning from it.
Suns.com: You were always one the last guys to leave practice. What is your motivation to continue working hard at improving your game?
Stoudemire: I want to be great. For every great player, you’ve got to put forth the effort. That’s what I’m doing.
Suns.com: In what ways do you feel you improved this year?
Stoudemire: My free throws have improved. My basketball IQ, my offensive and defensive awareness, has improved. My game is 40 percent of what it’s going to be. That lets you know right there that I’ve got so much to learn and I’ve got so much upside to get better, so that’s what I’m working on.
Suns.com: How did your role on the team change this year?
Stoudemire: Within a year my role has changed from being the third player on the team to being a leader, to being a captain. It’s a responsibility that I accepted and I’m looking forward to leading this team to a championship one day.
Suns.com: Did the team respond well to your increased leadership role?
Stoudemire: I think so. I think they’ve got to adjust because I’m so young. For me to be a leader at the age of 21, it’s kind of tough for a guy that’s 27, 28, to follow me, but I just plan to lead by example and eventually they’ll see.
Suns.com: What are you looking forward to for next season?
Stoudemire: I know we’ve got a lot of cap room. There’s no telling what may happen, but I know next year’s going to be a better year, as far as winning. Coach D’Antoni’s got a pretty good strategy on things and us as players are going to stick with him, and go out there and work hard.
We’re not going to lose as many games next year. I’m pretty sure we learned so much from this year that we can take it over to next year and become a better team, even if we don’t make any big moves over the summer. Even if we come up with the same team, I think we’re going to be pretty good.
Suns.com: What are your plans for the summer?
Stoudemire: Work and take a vacation. I’m thinking about Jamaica a little bit, take a little cruise. I’ll probably take only a month off and train on out. I’ll be in Orlando for a month, vacationing. Then I’ll probably be out in Malibu, Calif. training.
Suns.com: Will you be playing in the summer leagues?
Stoudemire: I may play a game or two. It’s kind of early to decide right now. Play a game or two just to get the feel of game situation again.
Suns.com: What aspects of your game will you be working on this summer?
Stoudemire: I’m working on everything. What I’ll probably work on most is my jump shot. Even though it’s coming around right now, I want to perfect my jump shot, and also my ball handling skills. I can go on and on. My offensive awareness, my IQ of the game has got to get a lot better – understand the game, understand how different players play. There’s a lot of things I’ve got learn and I’m ready to learn.
Suns.com: Are you going to be watching the playoffs this year?
Stoudemire: I’m not watching. The only person I’ll watch is Kevin Garnett. I like the way Kevin Garnett plays. I’ll just kind of watch him and take notes from his game. It makes me kind of upset, knowing the team in the eighth spot is where we were last year. I’ll watch so I can get upset and want to come back and be there next year.
Suns.com: How different would this season have been had you not gotten hurt?
Stoudemire: I think we’d probably have been more in the playoff race if that wouldn’t have happened. I think if I wouldn’t have gotten injured, my IQ of the game would be better. Even though it’s pretty good right now, I think it would be better. As you play games and the experience you get, I learn from every game, so every game is important. But it happens. You can’t look back in the past; you’ve got to look forward, stay healthy and try to win some games.
