With Udonis Haslem Retired, Are One Team Legends a Dying Breed?

Miami Heat legend Udonis Haslem announced his retirement a few months back. He became the oldest player in NBA history to play in the Finals aged 42 years and 363 days when the Heat faced the Denver Nuggets last season. It was Haslem’s 20th season in the league. With this, he also became just the third athlete to play for a single franchise for 20 years. NBA legend Kobe Bryant did it first with the Los Angeles Lakers. Then fellow legend Dirk Nowitzki took the top spot by completing 21 seasons with the Dallas Mavericks.

But in recent years, things are changing rapidly in the NBA and it looks like one-team legends are a dying breed.

Miami Heat legend Udonis Haslem

Udonis Haslem was not a superstar during his college career. Has was a heavily built forward despite his height of 6?6?. This was a major concern for many and he went undrafted in 2002. Haslem then played overseas basketball in France, where he lost over 50 pounds and showed great potential on the court. This caught the eyes of his hometown team, the Miami Heat, who signed him. His transformation was a shock to Dwyane Wade as well.

He impressed in his rookie season and made the All-Rookie Second Team. In his sophomore season, he played and started 80 games for the Heat. Playing alongside superstars like Dwyane Wade, Shaquille O?Neal, and so forth, Haslem helped the team reach the Conference Finals that year. But were beaten by the Detroit Pistons.

In the next year, Udonis once again played a vital role for the team. This time, the Heat made the Finals by defeating the Pistons in the ECF. After losing the first two games against the Mavericks, the Heat shocked everyone by winning the title on the back of an inspired performance from Wade. Haslem also played a crucial role in helping the franchise win its first-ever NBA championship.??

With this, the forward had arguably become a Heat legend. Furthermore, he also became a very important part of the franchise. After a few years of disappointment, the Heat once again dominated with the arrival of LeBron James and Chris Bosh. Haslem continued his role and won two more rings.?

Even after the departure of Wade, Haslem stuck with the Heat. However, it has to be noted that the loyalty is mutual between him and the franchise. He was not there to perform on a daily basis. Notably, in the 2019-20 season, he played just four games and in the next year, he played only one.?However, Haslem?s work was mostly behind the scenes: working with players, instilling the revered Heat Culture, communicating with staff, keeping the stars accountable and grounded, etc. And he had been an excellent servant for the franchise.?

Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki’s loyalty to their teams?

Kobe Bryant is arguably the biggest Lakers legend ever because of his time and success with the franchise. In 20 seasons with the Purple & Gold, Bryant helped the team clinch five championships. Furthermore, he was a crucial part of the iconic team that won three straight titles. His longevity with the team also helped him become a franchise leader in multiple categories.

However, it was not without trouble. Bryant and the Lakers went through some rough patches where it looked like the relationship could come to an end. Notably, he was close to joining their rivals, the Clippers. But things calmed down and Bryant finished his career as a Laker great.

Dirk Nowitzki broke Kobe?s 20 seasons with a single-team record in 2019 when he completed his 21st year with the Mavericks. Notably, only Vince Carter has played more seasons in the league with 22. But he did it with eight different teams! During his time with the Mavericks, Nowitzki helped the team reach the Finals on two occasions. After losing it on the first trip against the Heat, Dirk led the Mavs to their first-ever title in 2011 by beating the Heat.

Similar to Bryant, Nowitzki leads his franchise in multiple categories. However, he was close to a move a few times as well. Notably, there were reports of the Mavs trying to trade him for Shaquille O?Neal in 2004 and for Vince Carter in 2011 after winning the title. But the team and the star stood beside each other and he retired as a Mavs legend.

Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors

Currently, Stephen Curry is the longest-serving player for a single team in the NBA with 15 seasons. Curry joined the Golden State Warriors in 2009 with major expectations. However, his first few seasons were riddled with injuries. Despite this, the team trusted the sharpshooter and did not trade him. Steph soon became a superstar and the best shooter the league has ever seen. He also helped the Warriors win four championships and is the cornerstone of the dynasty.

The same can be said about Klay Thompson with 12? years with the Warriors and Draymond Green with 11. Even though Thompson technically only played 9 seasons because he was out for two straight years because of injury, he was still part of the franchise. Despite Klay?s injury struggles and Green?s off-court issues, the team did not trade them. While there were rumors of the Warriors looking to trade their stars, nothing was concrete. And so the trio stands as one of the very few long-standing franchise stars in the league. But it has to be noted that success helps!

WATCH THIS STORY – 1 Day Prior to Possible Bucks Debut, Damian Lillard Drops 2-Word Warning for the NBA

Other than Curry, Thompson, and Green, Giannis Antetokounmpo is the only current player to continue to play for 10 years or more with one team. Interestingly, Antetokounmpo’s new teammate Damian Lillard played 11 seasons for the Portland Trail Blazers before his move to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Damian Lillard’s move and the current NBA

Damian Lillard wanted to be loyal to the franchise and its fans and stay with the Trail Blazers throughout his career. After low success, the team wanted to trade Dame and rebuild. However, his open talks about retiring as a Blazer did not help. A few years later, Lillard was also open to the idea of moving. He possibly realized a move could help him and the team as well. While he did not get his alleged first option, the Heat, a move to the Bucks was not so bad. However, the trade also reiterates the fact that the league is a massive business.

Even though emotions are a huge part of the world of sports, without success, it is of relatively low value. You can be a superstar, a great #2, a good role player, etc. But if the team is not successful after a few years, chances are you are getting traded even if you are looking for a long haul. The same applies to franchises as well. Some stars are just not looking to play out their entire career for one team. Even if they want to, a team’s inability to bring in strong teammates could make them leave. Overall, success plays a huge role in loyalty in the current NBA.

We can’t argue that success was not a factor in the league back in the day. However, the number of players to have played for only one club in their entire career has been on a decline over the years. And so they are indeed a dying breed!

Editorial Disclaimer:?The?views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of EssentiallySports.

READ MORE – Can Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard Emulate the Success of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson for the Bucks?