Amar’e Stoudemire joining Steve Nash’s staff with Nets

Steve Nash is embarking on his first NBA coaching journey with the Brooklyn Nets this year, and one of his most well-known former teammates will be joining him.

Nash has hired fellow former Phoenix Suns star Amar’e Stoudemire as an assistant coach, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports. Like Nash, Stoudemire has no prior coaching experience in the NBA.

Stoudemire and Nash played together for the Suns from 2004-2010 during the primes of their respective careers. Both were named NBA All-Stars six times in the time they played alongside one another.

Stoudemire last played professionally in China and Israel. He also spent some time in the Big3 league. His last stint as a player in the NBA came in 2015-16 with the Miami Heat, though Stoudemire expressed interest as recently as last year in making an NBA playing comeback.

There has been talk of Nash making a much bigger splash with his coaching staff, but it’s unclear if that is still in play now that Stoudemire is joining him in Brooklyn.