Getting into fans’ hearts is not easy for any basketball player. Maybe those who shine game in and game out have an easier time doing so, but that’s not the only way to build an unbreakable bond with an NBA franchise.
If not, just ask Udonis Haslem, who has built a long-lasting career in his hometown teamMiami Heat with hard work, commitment, and loyalty. The 41-year-old forward seemed destined to write history in South Florida.
Haslem is entering his 19th season in the National Basketball Association, using his experience to lead in the locker room and guide the youngsters. And it’s been a fantastic road so far, having been part of all three titles the franchise has won.
Udonis Haslem talks about his part in the LeBron, Wade, Bosh Heat ‘Big 3’ era
Throughout his nearly 20 years in Miami, Haslem has seen countless players come and go, building a special relationship with many of them. And he has shared the locker room with the biggest names in the league.
But the fact that he was part of the three championship-winning teams says a lot. He’s been there in the franchise’s best moments, including the ‘Heatles‘ era when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh set up the mightiest trio in the NBA. And in an extensive, worth-reading interview with GQ‘s Tyler R. Tynes, Haslem talked about his importance for that team that won two rings.
[Transcript via GQ]
“S–, I was almost outta here — they ain’t have no money left. I was about gone. They wasn’t saving enough for me. They just wanted the big boys. They wasn’t thinking about me, the only one who was was [Wade]. He understood my importance to this city and franchise and thank God he did because it paid off. I don’t care what nobody say, I had my moments and we don’t win none of those rings without me. I did my job and that’s all you can do: Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready. I had some critical moments where I had to step in and hold down the fort. Thank God [Wade] stood up and said, ‘we need this mother—–.’Because sometimes people get caught up in dollar signs and what makes “cents’ doesn’t always make sense.
Udonis Haslem #40 (left) alongside Mario Chalmers #15, Dwayne Wade #3, Chris Bosh #1, and LeBron James #6 in the 2011 NBA finals. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
“You can surround guys who drive the bus, who sit on the bus, but if you ain’t got somebody who can change the tires and the oil, your bus ain’t moving. You need a guy like me: who will do the dirty work, take that charge, do the things that won’t show up on the statsheet but it equals winning. [Wade] understood that, LeBron understood that, [Bosh] understood that. If they didn’t, it’s no way those guys take less money and cut off a piece of their pie for me to stay. They didn’t know me. They didn’t have to do that. But they understood what I brought to the table and I was able to deliver.”
Well, UD just spoke facts there. This is a teamgame, and winning championships is rarely a one-man task. It takes many people to build a title-contending side, and as Haslem said, every role plays an extremely important part in the final result. If it wasn’t that way, he wouldn’t have built a 19-year career with the Miami Heat.
