By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Maybe he wasn’t one of the best to ever play in Miami, but Udonis Haslem was definitely synonymous with the Heat. After 20 years playing for the Florida team in the NBA, the 43-year-old has decided to retire.
Haslem won three NBA championships with Miami (2006, 2012, 2013) and was selected for the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2004. But he meant much more for the Heat. Haslem is retiring as Miami’s legend.
“20 years…it’s impossible to put into words what these past 20 years have meant, but y’all know me. I’m damn sure gonna try…
I consider myself extremely blessed to say I can leave this game with no regrets. The championships, the accolades, the brotherhood, man, it’s hard not to be at peace. Undrafted to a 3x Champion, All-Rookie 2nd Team, Teammate Of The Year, the oldest player to play in an NBA finals game, Miami Heat’s all-time leading rebounder and longest-tenured player, the list goes on…
Shout out to my Real 0Gs, the teammates that let me be their 0G, and to my family for staying ten toes down through it all… Although this journey has had its ups and downs, I am truly thankful and have no complaints at all… All the way down to leaving money on the table to stay in my city! You, Miami, made it all worth it!
I will always be the 0G, but now it’s time for the family man and the businessman to get to work…
No. 40, see you in the rafters soon. Until then, 0G out“, Haslem wrote on social media.
After playing college basketball at Florida (1998-2002), Haslem went undrafted in 2002 and spent a year in France with Elan Chalon.
Born and raised in Florida, he signed with his hometown club in 2003 and recorded 879 regular season games, averaging 7.5 points and 6.6 rebounds. He also played in 149 playoff matches, averaging 5.6 points and 5.5 rebounds.
He holds the record for the most rebounds in Miami Heat’s history with 5,791 and comes second in most minutes played, behind only Dwyane Wade (21,719 minutes). Haslem is also the seventh-best scorer in Heat’s history with 6,586 points.