Getty Miami Heat legend Udonis Haslem is a three-time NBA champion who just wrapped up his 19th season.
It was a wild ride for Udonis Haslem in his 19th NBA season. The 40-year-old saw less than three minutes of action for the Miami Heat in 2021, but Haslem’s scant playing time didn’t overshadow his impact.
The Miami native was kept on the roster to mentor Bam Adebayo and Precious Achiuwa while paying homage to those championship banners hanging from the rafters. Haslem was a three-time champion in South Beach who embodied the definition of Heat Culture. On Monday, Haslem met with reporters to discuss his future with the only franchise he’s ever known. He will turn 41 years old on June 9.
“I’m 40 years old. If I take an offseason, I might as well retire,” Haslem said, via South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “So I don’t have an offseason. Straight from the season, I’m going back into the gym. Me and Spo [Erik Spoelstra] have our time to have our conversations, and we’ll make our decision from there.”
Udonis Haslem, “I don’t want to coach.” Says he wonders why he’s not asked if he wants to be an owner.
No doubt that conversation will happen soon — oh to be a fly on the wall — and the smart money is on Haslem transitioning into some kind of mentorship role. He specifically mentioned a possible ownership stake. Remember, Haslem was basically a player/coach in 2021 after seeing the court in only one game. He was ejected from that one (May 13) as tempers flared and Haslem threatened to fight Dwight Howard. He finished with four points and a rebound in that game.
“It was an exciting two minutes that I had,” Haslem said. “So based on that, I deserve a max [contract].”
Udonis Haslem: I don’t have an offseason. I’m 40 years old. If I have an offseason, I might as well retire. Straight from season to back in the gym. I’m calling Bam, his ass is coming with me. I’m calling Precious he’s coming with me. This is a 24/7 lifestyle for me. It’s earned.
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Pat Riley Offered Haslem Coaching Job in 2019
Haslem has repeatedly said he doesn’t want to be a coach, although he might want to reconsider. Heat president Pat Riley offered him a job on Miami’s staff in 2019 and the 6-foot-8 power forward turned him down. He was basically left on the roster this past season to serve in that capacity, so why not get paid to do it?
Pat Riley says he offered Udonis Haslem an opportunity to coach this summer. Says UD doesn’t want to be one … “but mark my words, one day, he’s going to coach.”
He already has the respect of the locker room, a tough thing to earn in today’s NBA — plus a coaching job would excuse him from the Heat’s infamous conditioning test. Haslem has averaged 7.6 points and 6.7 rebounds while shooting 49% from the field in 859 career games for the Heat. He went undrafted out of the University of Florida and played for just two coaches in Miami: Erik Spoelstra and Stan Van Gundy. Riley was instrumental in drafting him in 2002.
“These guys don’t listen to me because the body of work is still being put in,” Haslem told reporters on Monday. “They’re not listening to me for what I did. They listen to me for what I can still do.”
Precious Achiuwa on Udonis Haslem, “He was really, really big. A big part of our team this year.”
Chucking Chairs, Making Presence Felt
Aside from his run-in with Howard at the end of the season, Haslem’s lasting image might be the tirade he threw in Game 4. The fiery veteran threw a chair onto the court as the Heat went down 120-103 on Saturday, then delivered a passionate speech to his teammates. It didn’t work and the Milwaukee Bucks advanced to the second round in the first sweep during Spoelstra’s tenure as head coach in Miami.
🚨 UDONIS HASLEM FLIPPING CHAIRS DURING TIMEOUTS ALERT 🚨
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