Grief-Stricken Udonis Haslem Breaks Down Emotional Reason Behind Retirement: “I Wasn’t the Same”

Ask any fan out there, Udonis Haslem had at least one more season in him. His teammates and their kids testify too. But for UD, the curtain call was before that. The Miami Heat legend got candid about retirement life and what led to it. It was the reason he gave for stepping away that resurfaced emotions.

Throughout his professional career, Haslem’s father was his biggest constant. He gets most of the credit for molding the pillar of Heat Culture. Without his dad, the court wasn’t the same anymore for Haslem.

Udonis Haslem gets nostalgic about his dad

When Udonis Haslem stepped up to Game 3 of the NBA Finals this year, he became the oldest player to appear in a Finals game. After the Heat lost, Haslem announced his retirement. Dwyane Wade’s son would later say UD could go longer before retiring. However, for the NBA veteran himself, his final NBA seasons didn’t go the way he imagined.

Speaking on?Bleacher Report’s?podcast, the 3x NBA champion talked about his father, Johnnie Haslem, who was his best friend. When he was asked what was the moment he knew it was time to step away, he said he knew it was time the year before his last season. That was the year Haslem said goodbye to his father.

Johnnie Haslem passed away on August 30, 2021. He was 70. For the first time, he let out raw emotions he felt about his father and his career from that time. “It was time to retire because I didn’t have my Pops,” he barely managed to say while choking on emotions. “From the day I stepped on the basketball court that man watched me, he coached me, he cheered for me.”?

Udonis would miss the Heat press days while mourning and requested his teammates to focus on training instead of coming to his father’s funeral. He was soon back at practice and arguing with Bam Adebayo, too. “It just wasn’t the same, you know what I’m saying? I wasn’t the same,” he said now about how difficult it was.

The senior Haslem was an outstanding basketball athlete at Miami Northwestern and Stetson before playing at the semi-pro level. He coached Udonis, who says he modeled his game entirely after his father’s. Udonis even wore No.40 like his dad did. He had lost his mother, Debra, to cancer in 2010 and leaned on his father more since. He had all sorts of travel plans with his dad before he passed away and plans changed.

WATCH THIS STORY | Serena Williams? Husband Takes Pride in the Success of Women?s Sports as Shaquille O?Neal?s Quote Prompts Him to Hit Back at Naysayers

UD was not playing much in his final seasons but he got all his positivity from his dad. After he was gone, Haslem knew it was time to call his NBA career, too.

Udonis Haslem’s dad created the icon

Leading up to his retirement and beyond, the NBA world poured out their love for this titan. He’s been involved in business ventures with D-Wade and also catching up with his old teammate, Shaquille O’Neal. He also celebrated a milestone moment in his marriage with his sweetheart of 21 years. Haslem reached this point because of his dad.

“My Pops from the day I stepped on the basketball court he was there with me. So when I lost him and he wasn’t going to be a part of my last year it changed kind of what the last year meant to me.”

READ MORE: Relishing His Post-Retirement Life, 3x NBA Champion Celebrates 21 Years of Love With College Sweetheart

Udonis Haslem’s reasons to take a bow on a glorious career were extremely moving. What do you think about this legend’s reflection?