NBA Hall of Famer Amar'e Stoudemire Is Now a Police Officer After Graduating from Miami Academy

After a professional NBA career, Amar'e Stoudemire graduated from the Miami police academy, fulfilling a childhood dream rooted in family tradition.

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After earning more than $161 million during his Hall of Fame career, Amare Stoudemire has more than enough money to never work again. But instead, his second act will be at the fore.

The former NBA big man, 43, recently graduated from the police academy in Miami and is now a police officer.

"It's something I've always wanted to do since I was a kid. I remember when I was in elementary school. At career day, they ask you, 'What do you want to be when you grow up?'" Stoudemire told Sports Illustrated, and my initial answer was a police officer.

Amare 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 deputy. My cousin is the captain. My sister is in the academy. So, it's basically a family tradition."

Stoudemire took his lessons from the basketball court to the academy, where he endured physical tests and read thousands of pages about politics.

"It's a similar situation where you have to be disciplined. You have to have a sense of professionalism. You have to be able to communicate. I think as an athlete, all those things are important as well. Being able to communicate with your fans and the media, but more, as an officer, you communicate with the community. So I can help guide the next generation in the right direction and catch them before they get into trouble and try to provide guidance there."

Stoudemire admitted that his wife was "a little worried, because obviously being a police officer, there's a risk involved."

"But if you're well trained and you understand your policies and procedures, you can have some degree of officer safety, which is very important and that's the goal," he said.

Stoudemire said the "business" of "protecting and serving the community" is what drew him to the line of work.

“We can go some way to protecting a community that really needs help and wants protection and wants to live a comfortable lifestyle. And so, for me, it helped me to want to be involved, and also to be able to teach kids. Stoudemire said to work with the young guys and lead them in the right direction, not just from an athletic standpoint, but just from a successful professional entrepreneur standpoint.

Amare Stoudemire stands next to his classmates. (Miami Dade College)

"And also from a law enforcement perspective, I've had a lot of law enforcement role models in my life growing up. My JV coach was in law enforcement. My uncle, who's my favorite uncle, I mentioned before, was also in law enforcement, and it's all positive. Influences that lead me in the right direction."

Stoudemire averaged 17.8 points and 7.8 rebounds in his career and was a six-time All-Star.

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