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Even in a league full of athletic marvels, there are certain players who stand head and shoulders above the rest (literally and figuratively speaking). For instance, at power forward, Shawn Kemp and Amar’e Stoudemire both exhibited a level of athleticism rarely seen at the position and were known for throwing down monstrous dunks while dominating in their respective primes. Though each was later plagued by health and personal issues that ultimately impacted his longevity, the duo remain two of the most electrifying big men ever to don an NBA uniform – given their similarly dominant peaks and overall career trajectories, it is apt to make the comparison and ask:
Who was better – Shawn Kemp or Amar’e Stoudemire?
The Beginning
Though they both made the jump directly from high school basketball to the NBA, Kemp and Stoudemire took very different routes to the Association and experienced differing levels of success initially.
Born and raised in Indiana, Kemp played varsity basketball all four years of high school and was named a Parade All-American 3x: Fourth Team as a sophomore, Second Team as a junior, and First Team as a senior (along with McDonald’s All-American honors in his last year). Though he originally committed to play at Kentucky, he was forced to miss his freshman year due to academic ineligibility and later transferred to Trinity Valley Community College; after a semester in which he did not play college basketball, Kemp declared for the 1989 NBA Draft and was selected 17th overall in the first round by the then-Seattle SuperSonics, thus technically making him a preps-to-pros player. As a rookie, he played less than 15 minutes a night and averaged 6.5 points (on 47.9% shooting), 4.3 rebounds, and 0.3 assists per game.
Similarly, despite transferring between five high schools in two different states and ultimately only playing two full seasons worth of basketball, Stoudemire was a dominant scholastic player who earned Parade First Team All-American, McDonald’s All-American, and Florida Mr. Basketball honors as a senior and was the #1 recruit in his class. Unlike Kemp, Stoudemire originally committed to the University of Memphis, but later declared for the 2002 NBA Draft as a true preps-to-pros player and was drafted ninth overall in the first round by the Phoenix Suns; he went on to earn Rookie of the Year honors in 2002-2003 on the strength of 13.5 points per game on 47.2% shooting with 8.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.
Career Comparison
In their respective primes roughly a decade apart, Kemp and Stoudemire were two of the most explosive big men the game has ever seen; however, due to various personal and health issues, each declined quickly in the latter stages of his career.
Together with star point guard Gary Payton and complementary players like Detlef Schrempf and Nate McMillan, Kemp was an integral part of Seattle’s nucleus in the 1990s. In his second year, he improved to 15.0 points and 8.4 assists per game and followed with the first of six straight double-double campaigns in 1991-1992: 15.5 points per game on 50.4% shooting with 10.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. By then, Kemp was a full-fledged star in the Association and would reel off a streak of six straight All-Star seasons in his prime, starting with a 1992-1993 season with 17.8 points (on 49.2% shooting), 10.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game.
Interestingly, Kemp never averaged 20+ points per game with the SuperSonics, but nevertheless had three Second Team All-NBA seasons in a row in the mid-1990s:
- 1993-1994: 18.1 points per game on 53.8% shooting with 10.8 rebounds and a career-high 2.6 assists per game
- 1994-1995: 18.7 points per game on 54.7% shooting with 10.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game
- 1995-1996: 19.6 points per game on a career-high 56.1% shooting with a career-best 11.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game
However, despite another All-Star double-double season in 1996-1997 (18.7 points and 10.0 rebounds per game), eroding trust with management (he had held out during training camp due to salary reasons), Kemp was subsequently part of a blockbuster three-team trade that sent him to the Cleveland Cavaliers, fellow All-Star big man Vin Baker to Seattle, and Terrell Brandon and Tyrone Hill to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Even while battling weight and motivation issues, Kemp remained a force in Cleveland, earning a final All-Star selection in 1997-1998 with 18.0 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. The next year, he actually averaged a career-best 20.5 points per game on 48.2% shooting and added 9.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game during a lockout-shortened campaign. Following three seasons with the Cavaliers, he was dealt to the Portland Trail Blazers in 2000-2001, where his production took a nosedive – coming off the bench, he averaged fewer than 7 points per game in two seasons with Portland and was subsequently waived post the 2001-2002 campaign. Finally, after an equally disastrous season with the Orlando Magic in 2002-2003, Kemp was out of the NBA, though he did later try to make an unsuccessful comeback attempt.
Similarly, Stoudemire improved significantly in his second season to the tune of 20.6 points (on 47.5% shooting), 9.0 rebounds, and 14 assists per game, though only played in 55 games. The next year, Phoenix signed point guard Steve Nash and in coach Mike D’Antoni’s high-octane offense, Stoudemire flourished to average a career-high 26.0 points per game on 55.9% shooting with 8.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game, thus earning his first All-Star selection and a Second Team All-NBA selection. However, he would end up missing all but three games in the 2005-2006 season due to a serious knee injury.
Following a lengthy rehabilitation process, Stoudemire returned to form and would be an All-Star for four consecutive seasons with the Suns, including three All-NBA selections:
- 2006-2007: 20.4 points per game on 57.5% shooting with a career-best 9.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game; First Team All-NBA
- 2007-2008: 25.2 points per game on a career-high 59.0% shooting with 9.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game; Second Team All-NBA
- 2008-2009: 21.4 points per game on 53.9% shooting with 8.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game
- 2009-2010: 23.1 points per game on 55.7% shooting with 8.9 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game; Second Team All-NBA
As an unrestricted free agent post the 2009-2010 season, Stoudemire signed a lucrative deal to join the New York Knicks.
Reunited with D’Antoni in New York, Stoudemire had a stellar first year in the Big Apple, averaging 25.3 points per game on 50.2% shooting with 8.2 rebounds and a career-high 2.6 assists per game to make a final All-Star appearance and All-NBA Second Team. From there, however, injuries began to take a heavy toll – following 17.5 points per game in 47 games played in 2011-2012, he was limited to just 29 games in 2012-2013 and never averaged more than a dozen points per game thereafter. Midway through the 2014-2015 season, Stoudemire was waived by the Knicks and joined the Dallas Mavericks for half a season. In 2015-2016, he played with the Miami Heat, but averaged a career-low 5.8 points per game; at age 33, Stoudemire had played his last NBA game, though he later had stints with Hapoel Jerusalem in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, Fujian Sturgeons in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), and finally, with Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel.
While Kemp and Stoudemire both played 14 NBA seasons, the former’s better durability resulted in more than 200 additional regular season games played. On one hand, Stoudemire was the better scorer (18.9 vs. 14.6 points per game on better shooting efficiency), but on the other hand, Kemp was the superior rebounder (8.4 vs. 7.8 rebounds per game) and a slightly better passer (1.6 vs. 1.2 assists). Each forward was a 6x All-Star, with Amar’e holding the edge in All-NBA selections (5x vs. 3x) and also being a Rookie of the Year winner. Translating this into advanced metrics, Stoudemire has both a higher career Player Efficiency Rating (PER of 21.8 vs. 19.1) and more career Win-Shares (92.5 vs. 89.5). All in all, as dominant as each player was in his prime, both are hurt by their second-half declines – Kemp has never been a serious Hall of Fame candidate since his retirement nearly two decades ago, while Stoudemire’s chances remain to be seen.
Regular Season Statistics
| Shawn Kemp | Player | Amar’e Stoudemire |
| 14 (1989-2003) | Seasons | 14 (2002-2016) |
| 1,051 | Games Played | 846 |
| 14.6 | Points | 18.9 |
| 8.4 | Rebounds | 7.8 |
| 1.6 | Assists | 1.2 |
| 48.8% | Field Goal % | 53.7% |
| 74.1% | Free Throw % | 76.1% |
| 19.1 | PER | 21.8 |
| 89.5 | Win Shares | 92.5 |
| 6x | All-Star Games | 6x |
| 3x | All-NBA | 5x |
| – | MVP | – |
| – | NBA Titles | – |
| – | NBA Finals MVP | – |
| – | Other Awards | ROY |
| – | Hall of Fame Induction | – |
Source: Basketball-Reference.com
During their dominant peaks with the Sonics and Suns, respectively, Kemp and Stoudemire each led championship-caliber teams deep into the playoffs, though both ultimately fell shy of winning a title.
In 14 NBA seasons, Kemp was a 10x playoff participant, highlighted by seven straight appearances with Seattle in the 1990s. Notably, coming off back-to-back first round exits mid-decade, Seattle advanced all the way to the 1995-1996 NBA Finals vs. the Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen-led Chicago Bulls; ultimately, the Sonics lost in six games to the Bulls despite Kemp averaging 20-and-10 in the Finals (23.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game).
Across the Suns (5x), Knicks (3x), Mavericks (1x), and Heat (1x), Stoudemire also made a total of 10 playoff appearances, but never advanced past the Conference Finals – during his prime with Phoenix, the team’s best performances came during Nash’s back-to-back MVP seasons in the mid-2000s, falling in the Western Conference Finals both years:
- 2004-2005: lost to the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the Western Conference Finals; Stoudemire was outstanding in the playoffs and improved each round, culminating in 37.0 points and 9.8 rebounds per game against the Spurs
- 2005-2006: lost to the Mavericks in six games in the Western Conference Finals; however, Stoudemire did not play, as he missed most of the season with injury
On the international stage, Kemp won a gold medal at the 1994 World Championship, while Stoudemire was part of the disappointing 2004 Team USA squad that only managed a bronze medal at the Summer Olympics in Athens, though he later took home gold at the 2007 Americas Championship.
Playoff Statistics
| Shawn Kemp | Player | Amar’e Stoudemire |
| 88 | Games Played | 78 |
| 17.3 | Points | 18.7 |
| 9.7 | Rebounds | 7.4 |
| 1.8 | Assists | 0.8 |
| 49.8% | Field Goal % | 51.2% |
| 79.7% | Free Throw % | 75.0% |
| 20.5 | PER | 21.7 |
| 9.5 | Win Shares | 7.6 |
Source: Basketball-Reference.com
Every athlete goes through a natural career lifecycle, from starting off as a rookie to reaching peak years of performance and finally, declining into the inevitable retirement due to a combination of age and/or injury; following their primes with Seattle and Phoenix, respectively, Kemp and Stoudemire each saw some continued success before seeing their production decline rapidly. For Hall of Fame caliber players across sports, I like to look at a concept I call a “decade of dominance.” The thinking behind this is that for most Hall of Fame type careers, there are roughly 10 great seasons that define an athlete (this idea is embodied in a sense by the NFL’s All-Decade teams), though due to injury or other factors, they might not be 10 consecutive years.
Decade of Dominance
| Shawn Kemp | Player | Amar’e Stoudemire |
| 1990-2000 | Decade of Dominance | 2002-2005, 2006-2013 |
| 748 | Games Played | 667 |
| 17.9 | Points | 21.3 |
| 10.0 | Rebounds | 8.6 |
| 2.0 | Assists | 1.4 |
| 49.8% | Field Goal % | 53.5% |
| 74.0% | Free Throw % | 76.3% |
| 20.4 | PER | 22.2 |
| 82.5 | Win Shares | 82.6 |
Source: Basketball-Reference.com
Taking only their 10 best seasons into account, Stoudemire scored well over 20 points per game on efficient shooting, while Kemp averaged a double-double; though the former has the edge in PER, the two contributed nearly identical Win-Shares.
My Thoughts
When you look at the NBA careers of Shawn Kemp and Amar’e Stoudemire, each one leaves a bit of “what could have been?”. As dominant as they were in their 20s, both were essentially washed-up shells of their former greatness by the time they turned 30. In comparing their career arcs, I give the slight edge to Stoudemire – each was blessed with a Hall of Fame point guard to play alongside and yes, Kemp was the better rebounder (Amar’e surprisingly never averaged double-digit rebounds in a season), but peak Stoudemire was a First Team All-NBA player who could average 25+ points per game and shoot well over 50% from the field, i.e. a nearly unstoppable offensive force whatever his defensive shortcomings may have been. As to the Hall of Fame, Kemp and Stoudemire are decidedly borderline candidates; in my view, I think both fall just shy – they have the peak brilliance, but not quite the longevity to merit enshrinement in Springfield.
Thus, after weighing their careers against each other in terms of statistics, achievements, and impact, the winner of this faceoff is:
Amar’e Stoudemire
As always, vote for your choice and leave your thoughts and comments below.
Further Reading
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