LeBron James may have hogged all the glory on the court in last night’s Heat-Knicks game, but it was Amar’e Stoudemire who stole the spotlight from King James at his own party the night before.
Stoudemire and his bodacious new gal pal, Amber Rose, walked hand-in-hand to Chelsea club 1Oak and remained inseparable all night, as his NBA rival who stood stoically in the background with friends at the bash held in his honor.
As James and Stoudemire — who didn’t talk or approach each other — held court at private booths at opposite ends of the club, the heat belonged to the Knick forward and Rose, Kanye West‘s curvaceous ex. Both players avoided alcohol but stayed late, with James leaving at 2:30 a.m.
Dressed in red, shiny leggings and a white tank top, Rose, a model and former exotic dancer, looked satisfied to be with Stoudemire, and both of them didn’t mind being seen together. At one point, he pulled Amber toward him with his hands tightly around her waist and ample bottom.
Stoudemire and Rose left 1Oak holding hands at 1:30 a.m., but when a young fan outside begged to take a photo with the couple, “Amber posed with the fan while [Stoudemire] stood off to the side,” said a witness.
Back inside, James partied with teammate Dwyane Wade, Wade’s girlfriend, Gabrielle Union, and a dozen others — including a curvy, nearly bald woman in a tight dress who looked like a less pretty Rose.
The club was decorated with large balloons that spelled “LeBron” on one wall and “James” on another. By night’s end, though, they were all deflated. One cheeky partygoer popped the balloons behind James’ booth.
On their way out, James and his entourage muscled past clubgoers with such force, they squished “Jersey Shore” cast member Ronnie Ortiz-Magro against a wall. When asked outside the club whom he would pick for MVP, James said, “Amar’e Stoudemire is one of the best . . . individuals in the league.”
It was James who looked like the MVP later that evening, as he led the Heat to a 113-91 win over the Knicks.