Amare Stoudemire Says NBA Players May 'Start Own League'
New York Knicks forward Amare Stoudemire said he wants players to create their own league if the 2011-2012 NBA season cannot be saved.
Stoudemire was promoting his new sneaker, the Nike Air Max Sweep Thru, Tuesday in a Manhattan Footlocker when he took time to speak about the next move for NBA players.
"Obviously we're trying to get this lockout resolved. We want to play NBA basketball. But if it doesn't happen what are we gonna do,” Stoudemire questioned, according to ESPN.
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“We can't just sit around and not do anything,” Stoudemire stated. “So we have to figure out ways to now continue to play basketball at a high level against top competition and have fun doing it. So, that's the next step."
Although details regarding salaries, venues, and insurance have yet to be determined, Stoudemire insisted that the idea was a very serious possibility.
“It's very, very serious. It's just a matter of us strategically coming up with a plan, a blueprint and putting it together," he said. "So we'll see how this lockout goes. If it goes one or two years, then we've got to start our own league."
Although Stoudemire said owners and players have yet to reach common ground, he remained positive about creating a new collective bargaining agreement that both sides can agree upon.
"I think we're pretty far apart, but the most important part is that we're trying to work to get something done," Stoudemire told the press Tuesday. "There are so many jobs at stake; their livelihoods are on the line. We'll get a deal done eventually."
If a deal is reached, Stoudemire said he is confident in the abilities of his New York Knicks to bring home a championship this year.
"We have a pretty solid team; we're pretty confident with the guys we have now," he stated, according to ESPN.
"I think the moves we made this past season, bringing in Carmelo and Chauncey, definitely helped us get to that championship level,” Stoudemire added.
