Udonis Haslem is one of the biggest legends in Miami Heat history, although he was never a superstar. He knew his role on the team very well and was great at it, even now as a veteran.
The Heat would have missed out on a crucial player if it wasn’t for their Big 3, who worked together to keep UD on the team.
“Oh sh*t, I’m out of here. I’m out of here,” he said when talking about the time he thought he was out of the Heat. “Because I know how the numbers worked, I know how the money worked. I know what those guys’ values was, I know they worth at the time. And I’m thinking, ‘Okay, it’s time to move on.’”
“The story is, I was on my way down to the arena to personally look (Heat president Pat Riley) in the eyes and say, ‘Thank you because when no one else believed, and when no one else gave me opportunities, you did. And because of that, I have other opportunities now.’”
Haslem reveals in an interview (39:42 mark) that just when he thought he was on his way out, his agent surprised him by telling him the Heat had a new offer for him. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh made sure he also got his money, and Haslem appreciated that gesture.
“As I’m pulling off the expressway, I get a call from my agent, the late Henry Thomas… ‘We got a deal on the table,’” Udonis Haslem said.
“‘It’s not what you were offered before, but it’s good money.’ So just for the record, I was offered about $35 (million). The Heat only had $20 (million).
“But the fact that Bron, CB, and D-Wade all collabed to take less money to make that $20 (million) available for me, it said enough, because they didn’t have to do that.
“Dwyane understood. Bron and CB don’t know me from a can of paint. They ain’t ever played with me, they don’t know nothing about me. But the fact that they was able to say, ‘Okay, cool. We need him. We need him to win.’ That let me know I got to get them boys they money worth.”
This was great for the player, who was already a big part of the organization. Haslem went to four consecutive NBA Finals during the early 2010s, winning two titles in the process.
He was part of the team that won the championship in 2006, too, and was involved in some bizarre moments, like the time Shaquille O’Neal almost fought Pat Riley.
Haslem has a lot of memories with the Heat, which is why he will be remembered as a total idol following his retirement. In 20 NBA seasons, he’s averaged 7.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game, shooting 48.9% from the floor and 75.6% from the free-throw line.
Miami Heat To Dedicate A Seating Section In Their Arena To Udonis Haslem
Haslem recently announced he’s playing his final NBA season, and the Heat are already preparing homages for him. Over the weekend, it was announced that the franchise will dedicate a seating section to the big man upon his retirement.
This homage, added to the story of LeBron, Wade, and Bosh taking pay cuts and all the love he’s received over the years, demonstrates that Haslem is a big legend that maximized every opportunity he had in Miami, on and off the court.
He’s a real veteran, which is why many people around the league respect him. Even though he doesn’t play that much right now, UD is a key piece in the Heat’s locker room and one of the best legends in franchise history.
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