Amare Stoudemire has spent many years of life defying odds and erasing doubts. He knows that perseverance is the key to get through difficult times and he has been doing just that his entire life.

In 2005-06 season, Stoudemire played just three games. He underwent a microfracture surgery on his left knee followed by an arthroscopic surgery in right knee six months later. But with perseverance, Stoudemire is one of the most dominant players of the NBA today.

He is the only Phoenix Suns player to have appeared in all 82 regular season games this season and he also managed to earn a spot in the All Star team. It is because of his inside presence that the Suns believe that they can win all the games they play, including the championship.

Stoudemire said that he had no doubts about him returning to play, though he did have doubts about how long it would take him to return. After his injuries and subsequent surgeries, Stoudemire just pushed on and played through the pain and he was able to accomplish something that most probably no player has accomplished in the history of NBA.

Even amongst the coaching staff there were doubts about Stoudemire returning as he had signed a five year contract worth $73 million just days before undergoing the microfracture surgery in October 2005.

When he started his rehabilitation, there were suggestions that he was not working hard enough and this concerns earned impetus when Stoudemire sat out a practice during the team’s training camp in Italy last year.

Coach and general manager Mike D’Antoni tried to justify the concern he and the team had. He said that Stoudemire could have never returned to the game and that meant that the team had a huge contract on a player who was not 100 percent fit and that would have been disastrous for the team.

Today Stoudemire still does some ferocious dunks but just not as many as before. However, he thinks that his accurate mid range jumper and hugely improved passing and defense make him into a better player.