Those who see Stoudemire working daily can see the progress. Stoudemire can feel his explosion returning, but in the normal course of play, he does not always dazzle as he gets his feel of full-court play again. Then, the action stops and he takes a ball and rises from beneath the basket for a vicious dunk from a standstill.
"It feels like I'm a newborn," Stoudemire said. "From not playing in a year and then finally getting back out there, I'm just starting to do things that you forgot you knew how to do. It's a learning process."
The Suns' summer coach, assistant Phil Weber, saw that flash in game action, too, recalling the Stoudemire that wreaked havoc before October and April knee surgeries.
"He had a spin dunk that was pretty forceful and it was kind of, 'Oh, there's Amar?' " Weber said.
Stoudemire, who resumed five-on-five play a week earlier, was so eager for Wednesday's work that he arrived at US Airways Center at 7 a.m. to get ready. He has more to shoot for this week with expectations to play in most or all of Phoenix's five Vegas Summer League games, starting Friday. Weber said he and Stoudemire talked about him playing in intense, two-minute stretches.
"His levels of intensity keep getting longer," Weber said. "Periods go longer and longer. I was surprised today with what he was able to do for a period of time lengthwise. He played hard and made strides."
Stoudemire said these games are building confidence and comfort as he finds his "basketball state of mind."
Asked what he does if he sees a ball in the air by the rim, he said: "I go get it. It's not a want factor anymore. I've got to go get it. I've got to push through it, and that's what I've been doing. I think just playing more and more, I get more confident in going to get the ball as far as off the rim or in the cylinder or blocking shots, or as far as being relentless."
After Phoenix traded two first-round picks and lost Tim Thomas last week, Stoudemire called the off-season a great one because the Suns "got a draft pick in myself." He again said Phoenix will win the championship next season.
"We're coming in this season with a state of mind of, 'It's championship time,' " he said.
"No excuses, no letdowns, no nothing. Strictly, trying to get a championship. It was ours this year if I wouldn't have went down. Now that I'm back, it's a no-brainer. We've got to go and get it. I was blessed by God to have these broad shoulders, so I can carry the load."
The Suns will hold the second two-a-day session today. Seeking help at backup point guard and wings, the former Xavier backcourt of Lionel Chalmers (a former Clippers point) and Romain Sato seem to have the best shots along with former Magic and Pacers forward Britton Johnsen.
"Not only does he look like Keith Van Horn, but he plays a little bit like him," Weber said of Johnsen, a former Utah star.
Johnson, who is 6 feet 10, could manage both forward spots for the Suns. He played in Spain last year until a knee sprain and finished in Greece.
"I'm a tall, thin guy that can run real fast," Johnsen said. "I like to play in the open court. Personally, I think it (Suns system) will fit me."
