Despite Being Tormented by Shaquille O?Neal, NBA?s Ex-Oldest Active Player Crowns 7?1″ Giant With Ultimate Praise

Few names can get credit for the infamous ‘Heat Culture’. Some key players were involved in transforming the franchise into a championship-winning team. One who has been at the heart of it, Udonis Haslem, got candid about that team dynamic. The Miami legend gave his former teammate, Shaquille O?Neal, a big part of the credit. According to the 43-year-old, he was responsible for keeping everyone level-headed.

Now the resident moodmaker on?Inside the NBA?and everywhere he goes, Shaq’s temperament apparently rubbed off on his friend. Over a decade later, he’s left a lasting impression on his friend.

Udonis Haslem knights Shaquille O’Neal as leader

Udonis Haslem dished on his extensive playing career and retirement on?Bleacher Report’s?podcast recently. He spent his entire NBA career from 2003 to 2023 with the Miami Heat. He’s almost the historian of some of the best years of the franchise. Towards the end of his tenure, UD was considered the fiery captain of the team. Before that, he was gladly playing sidekick to other leaders.

When asked which player he considered the best leader, Haslem couldn’t pick just one. He has two favorites, namely Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James. Both were very different kinds of leaders. Shaq would be the one who helped Haslem enjoy the game.

“I gotta say Shaq because he always tried to make it about ‘just a game,'” Haslem said about his giant friend. “He never wanted us to take it home with us. He always told us that it’s just a game, enjoy it, have fun and that’s something that was always hard to do.”

At 42 years old, Haslem was the oldest NBA player in history to make an appearance in the Finals. If Shaq had a say, UD would be playing another season instead of retiring in 2023. Haslem said in the same interview that after saying goodbye to his father, he didn’t want to keep playing anymore.

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It was Shaq’s energy that kept him upbeat for 20 seasons and also how it enhanced him as a leader later. “Fast forward when I got to the points that I got to in life, I realized why he said the things he said and I was able to kind of manifest those things.”

Haslem was?Big Aristotle’s?teammate from 2004 to 2008 and they won the 2006 title together. He outlasted O’Neal and Dwyane Wade in the NBA. While UD did adapt to Shaq’s principles, no one could be like Shaq himself.

Shaq’s way of keeping Heat upbeat

Teams that had Shaquille O’Neal on their roster have endured the ‘bare’ terror he has posed for his own teammates. There’s more than one instance of?Big Aristotle?strutting to practices in all his naked glory just to shake things up a bit.

Haslem and Heat have one such story too. He recalled the terror of O’Neal prancing in the locker room, “naked, bear-hugging, and body slamming people.”?

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We can see how this leader kept the spirits up. Even if it’s with a lack of wardrobe. Who is your choice as the Heat’s best leader?