Stoudemire, a native of Lake Wales, Florida, attended Orlando's Cypress Hill High School just one year before participating with the Suns in the 2002-2003 NBA playoffs. He was chosen by the Suns as the ninth pick of the 2002 annual NBA draft.
Stoudemire and China's Yao Ming, who plays for the Houston Rockets, were generally favored by US television commentators to win the Rookie of the Year award, with Caron Butler generally been seen as a third option to win the award. Stoudemire shared the Rookie of the Month award with Butler in January of '03 but was the sole recipient of the Rookie of the Year award at the end of the NBA season.
Stoudemire averaged 13.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocked shots per game in his rookie season, with highs of 38 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves and 21 rebounds against the Memphis Grizzlies. The 38 points were the most of any rookie coming straight out of high school in the history of the NBA.