Amare’ Stoudemire to hold one-on-one workouts with Hakeem Olajuwon in August – NBA Update
Late in the offseason, Amare Stoudemire the New York Knicks power forward, will join the list of NBA players to have worked out with one of the best centre ever to grace the league, Hakeem Olajuwon.
The workouts are expected to take place in August according to a source familiar with the matter. Stoudemire`s team mate and defensive player of the year from last season, Tyson Chandler is also expected to be present to train
with the veteran coach but that is still to be confirmed because of the Olympics taking place around the same time and Chandler expected to be in the final lineup.
Olajuwon will be arriving at the Big Apple in August and will be providing Stoudemire close insights on how to be a better post player. These workouts have supposedly been planed as part of Mike Woodson`s new strategy to bring
stability with better spacing to this Knicks team.
With Stoudemire working on his game to establish a formidable low post presence, Tyson Chandler can become the high post pick and roll player to play alongside All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony and point guard Jeremy Lin.
This new strategy to put Stoudemire in the low post will allow the Knicks to have a better chance in the offensive rebounding department as well, an asset which New York are lacking at the moment.
At the same time, Stoudemire will be provided with a better chance to work his way to the basket by allowing other players to isolate the floor for him.
Many pundits of the game believe that the system to play Stoudemire and Anthony at the same time cannot be effective. However, with this new strategy the Knicks do have a stronger chance to make things work.
Stoudemire, presently on an overseas trip, has workouts planned with a conditioning coach and a physical therapist to help recover from a bulging disk which he sustained at the end of last season.
Olajuwon is fast emerging as the post up coach of choice in NBA and many superstars including Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard and LeBron James have had sessions with him in the past. The improvements in James’ post up game was there
for all to see in this post season and when Stoudemire gets done with his one on one workout’s in August, he can be expected to come out as a much improved player, especially with his back to the basket, a skill which he is not acquainted too that much.
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