In his 20 seasons with the Miami Heat, Udonis Haslem racked up close to as many fines for on-court altercations as career three-pointers. His role extended beyond the hoop. It was also to protect. So when ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins targeted Heat President Pat Riley, Haslem did what he always does: he stepped up to defend his own.
What started as a debate over Miami’s future quickly turned into a heated confrontation. It reminded everyone that even in retirement, Haslem’s loyalty to Riley and the Heat remains as fierce as ever. But not everybody is happy with Riley. Some people may have left the franchise due to their differences with the Miami Heat President. Dwyane Wade had spent over a decade giving everything to the Heat, yet when it came time to re-sign, the front office prioritized others. Feeling undervalued, Wade packed his bags and signed with the Chicago Bulls.
But Wade made one thing clear. “Relationships are important, people,” he tweeted during negotiations, hinting at the broken trust. For some, Riley had betrayed Wade. For others, Wade had walked out on Riley. But for Udonis Haslem, that situation never existed. He wasn’t just part of the Heat, he was the Heat. And guess what? He still is.
During a recent NBA Today episode, ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins said, “We have this saying in the South: ‘old people are stuck in their ways.’ Pat Riley is stuck in his ways. He’s about to turn 80. Tomorrow. He’s about to turn 80.” Perkins wasn’t just calling for change but rather that it was necessary. According to him, Miami needed new leadership, fresh ideas, and a different approach if they wanted another title.
Haslem, never one to let criticism slide, defended Riley and the Heat. But when Perkins put a hand on his shoulder, Haslem fired back: “Here you go. We’re gonna have to take this outside, Purdy. Now, don’t do that. I don’t know what you finna say.” It was classic Haslem – fiercely loyal, always ready to back up his people.
Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem (40) on the court before the start of the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Miami-Dade Arena in Miami on Saturday, March 25, 2023. (Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Perkins didn’t back down. Instead, he doubled down, insisting that Riley had to be held accountable. It made for must-watch television. It was great TV, no doubt. But let’s be real, this wasn’t the first time Haslem was ready to throw hands for someone he cared about. And if history has taught us anything, it won’t be the last.
Haslem, Heat’s most entrusted enforcer
Udonis Haslem was never the flashiest player, but for the Miami Heat, he was the enforcer. He was the protector. And Dwyane Wade knows that better than anyone. Wade himself once put it best: “Whenever I was in the club, whenever I was out anywhere in Miami, whenever I was on the court, UD had my back.” So, when an opponent took a cheap shot at Wade, Haslem made sure they paid the price.
Former NBA forward Tyler Hansbrough learned that the hard way. In a clip from Duncan Robinson’s podcast, Haslem recalled one particular incident that set him off. “D-Wade takes one. He’s cut. He takes a hard one,” Haslem said. “Now I see the two guys give each other five. It was Hansbrough and [Lou] Amundson, giving each other five, ‘Oh, good job.’ Kind of like congratulating. Now the decision is made. I’m f—— somebody up.” That’s the kind of loyalty Haslem brought to the Heat.
But for Wade, it wasn’t just about one moment. It was about Haslem’s entire legacy in Miami. Wade even called Haslem’s career “the greatest in Miami Heat history.”
Earlier this year, the Heat ensured no one would forget Haslem’s impact by cementing his legacy. They retired his No. 40 jersey, a rare honor for a player who was never an All-Star but meant everything to the franchise. “Udonis Haslem, his force mattered, and it counted,” Pat Riley said. “That’s one of the reasons we’re hanging his jersey here today.”
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