Forget Rookie of the Year.  In Arizona Stephon Marbury wants rookie teammate Amare Stoudemire to be on a plane to Atlanta this February for the All-Star Weekend, and not as a participant in the Rookies-Sophmore game.

"He's been playing like an All-Star. If (Houston's) Yao Ming is going to make it, then Amare for sure would make it. That's not even close."

Stoudemire, one of many players to jump from High School to the NBA in recent years, is averaging 11.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per contest, good enough for 5th and 1st among rookies respectively.  These numbers, however, do not reflect the impact he has made of late.

"With Amare playing like an All-Star, it's hard to beat us," Marbury said after the 20-year-old forward scored 19 points and snared 13 rebounds in a 103-84 Phoenix victory Sunday. "This was Amare's game."

Stoudemire, told of Marbury's remarks, said, "That's a pretty bold statement right there. But I think I'm doing just as well (as Yao)."

"Yao Ming just seems to get a lot more hype than I do, which is good. I'd rather not have that much hype and just do my job."