Udonis Haslem Says He Had to Keep Dwyane Wade Safe During Miami Heat Stint Ahead of Jersey Retirement Honor

Udonis Haslem has seen the Miami Heat win all 3 rings in the franchise’s history. And during his tenure, he not only played alongside some of the NBA’s greatest, but he also uplifted them. During his recent podcast episode with former teammate, Mike Miller, UD opened up about his longtime teammate and friend, Dwyane Wade. Fans might not remember but the Flash had to undergo an invasive knee surgery in 2002, a year before his NBA draft. As such, when he joined the league, the Miami Heat, and Udonis Haslem, wanted to ensure the longevity of their #5 pick.

Looking back at their initial years with the Heat, Haslem shared how there was initial concern about starting the Flash at point guard since it would be a move away from his natural position. As such, Miami needed their enforcer to keep their young franchise cornerstone safe from the level of physicality in the game. Udonis Haslem shared, “Coming into the first year, people don’t understand, he had to run the point. He had never run the point before…He had the ball in his hand a lot. His natural instinct was to go…It was my job to make sure that he stayed safe and healthy.”

UD would also reveal how him and Wade formed a connection in the first place. The Flash and UD spent the summer together and their routine was to get up in the morning, run at the track, lift weights, shoot and go through a basketball workout, eat lunch, and play pick-up again.

Doing this for an entire summer, they developed a connection. And that connection led to 3x NBA championships. Not only did Haslem do his job with protecting D-Wade, he also grew into a mentor and player-coach during his final years with the Heat. Which brings us to 2024 and the jersey retirement of an undrafted forward.

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Miami Heat to honor #40 Udonis Haslem on January 19 

Haslem retired from the game last season and the Heat have already decided to retire his jersey. A lot of credit must go to UD for what he has done alongside Dwyane Wade. The 43-year-old was the locker room star and he played an important part in bringing the ‘Heat Culture’ to light. 

The legend will be honored on January 19 during the halftime of the Heat and the Atlanta Hawks. Dwyane Wade is expected to take part in this big night for Haslem. After all, it is a 20-year-long friendship and Haslem has also ‘safeguarded’ the Flash all these years.

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Udonis Haslem has been a crucial piece in all of the three iconic championships for Heat. His jersey will be retired less than a year after he became the oldest player to ever play in the NBA Finals. What are your thoughts on the above story? Share your take in the comments below.