AMARE PAYS HOMAGE TO LENNY COOKE, THE STAR WHO WAS DESTINED TO BE BUT NEVER WAS

AMARE STOUDEMIRE

After Amar’e Stoudemire attended a screening of his own Epix documentary “In the Moment” on Thursday, he headed to pay homage to a local basketball legend.

Stoudemire’s film screened at Marquee, and the Knicks star was spotted later at a packed party at the Jane Ballroom to celebrate the premiere of “Lenny Cooke,” a hotly tipped Tribeca doc about the Brooklyn-born phenom who outshined Stoudemire, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony at the high school level but whose NBA career never materialized.

AMERE & LENNY COOKE

Chicago Bulls star Joakim Noah, who once played with Cooke, is an executive producer for the film, and through basketball kismet, is in town to start the playoffs tonight against the Nets. Cooke will be in the crowd with the doc’s producer Adam Shopkorn.

Also at the Jane bash were New York-based directing duo Josh and Benny Safdie. Earlier at Marquee, Gayle King said she had to make an early exit, but asked if she could grab some of the stadium-themed grub being served for the road. A spy said she was sent off with an entire tray of burgers.