Udonis Haslem has been with the Miami Heat since 2003, having won 3 championships during his time with the franchise. He has become a permanent fixture on the team for two decades, but he will finally be retiring at the end of this season. And to honor his contribution, the Heat are reportedly doing something big for him.
As per the Miami Herald, the team will dedicate an entire seating section in their arena to Udonis Haslem. This will include pictures and murals of him on the walls, paying their respect to a man that has stayed loyal to the franchise for a long time.
Udonis Haslem will have a seating section at Miami Heat’s Arena dedicated to him by the franchise 🔥
(Via @MiamiHerald ) pic.twitter.com/ZlCmtRfb7f
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 25, 2023
Haslem is 42 years old and it has become apparent this season that it is tough for him to contribute on the basketball court. However, that’s not what his final few years in Miami have been for anyway, he has been a crucial component in building the culture of the franchise.
Udonis Haslem wasn’t always just a bench presence though, he was a starter when Miami won their first championship. He was an important role player for many seasons after that as well, and his contributions to the team cannot be understated. UD made himself an icon for the Miami Heat, and he is the sort of player that fans of a franchise will always love.
Udonis Haslem Revealed The Secret To How He Extended His Career
Having a 20-year career in the NBA as a role player is unheard of, and Udonis Haslem has done things right considering that he has been able to achieve it. He played alongside the NBA’s king of longevity, LeBron James, for a few seasons, and it seems he picked up what he needed to do to make his career a long one from James.
“There’s no way I’m able to still be out here running and jumping and keeping up with these guys at 42 if I didn’t take care of my body in a certain way. So that was definitely something I took out of Bron’s book.”
It’s wild to think that Haslem will no longer be on the bench for the Heat, and he’s among the last of a dying breed. As the NBA continues to get younger, veteran presence has been reducing in teams across the league. More teams could use their own versions of Udonis Haslem because the presence of a culture-setting veteran cannot be underestimated as a key to franchise success.
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