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After sounding optimistic about a March return to the court, Phoenix Suns superstar Amare Stoudemire is hedging his bets about a return at all.
Amare Stoudemire
Stoudemire
"It's still 50-50," Stoudemire told The Arizona Republic, sounding more discouraged than at any point of his rehabilitation process from an October microfracture procedure on his left knee.
"If I'm not ready, then I'm not ready. Right now, I'm not ready," he told the paper.
Stoudemire has had fluid buildup behind the kneecap, stunting his comeback for the past two weeks.
There's even been thoughts of not returning at all this season, "because every time I play ball one day, the next day I feel a lot of pain, a lot of discomfort" in the right knee, he told The Republic.
"I figured I'd be ready by now," Stoudemire told the paper. "My right knee is hurting more than my left. I think it's just from overcompensating -- a little fluid buildup that's in there. I'm just trying to get that out and get back. Once I get the rest and the treatment, it goes away. Then I have three strong days and it comes back. I haven't played a five-on-five game yet so I haven't put it to the test."
After being cleared by the Suns medical staff, it's now up to Stoudemire to decide when he feels he is able to play games.
"I'm medically cleared as far as the healing process and as far as everything healing up correctly, but as far as pain level and discomfort level in my mind, I'm not really cleared yet," Stoudemire, who said his right knee feels tight and stiff and hurts when his leg is extended, told the paper.
"If it was up to my left knee right now, I probably would've played last week."
Stoudemire said he still feels he has two weeks to a month to come back and will not make a decision until he has four to six consecutive days of "feeling great."
