The Miami Heat are hiring Udonis Haslem as Vice President of Basketball Development.
The 20-year team veteran will mentor players, assist staff, and represent the organization in the community.
He has made a much-anticipated return to the Miami Heat, but this time, in a different role – as an executive. After concluding his remarkable 20-year playing career with the Heat, with the last 16 years spent as a team captain, Haslem has been appointed as the team’s new vice president of basketball development.
This move comes after Haslem’s long-standing desire to contribute to the Heat’s front office or ownership group following his retirement. Born and raised in Miami, he has been an essential part of the Heat’s success for two decades. Pat Riley, the Heat’s President, shared his enthusiasm for Haslem’s decision, stating, “Born and raised in Miami, UD has been an integral part of the success of the Heat for 20 years. It’s great that he has chosen to continue to build on his incredible legacy here in Miami, where he belongs.”
Udonis Haslem holds the distinction of being one of only two players to play for all three of Miami’s NBA championship-winning teams, with the other being Dwyane Wade. Over the course of his illustrious career, he became the franchise’s all-time leading rebounder and served as a 16-time team captain.
Haslem’s journey with the Heat spanned different eras, from the championship victory alongside Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade in 2006 to the LeBron James-Chris Bosh-Dwyane Wade era, which resulted in two more NBA titles. He also witnessed the contemporary era led by Jimmy Butler, where the Heat consistently exceeded expectations and made it to the NBA Finals twice. Notably, he became the oldest player to compete in an NBA Finals game, achieving this feat just two days before his 43rd birthday when the Heat faced the Nuggets in June.
Officially retiring last offseason, Haslem had not made a significant on-court impact in recent years. In his final eight seasons, he participated in only 102 regular-season games, with 25 appearances in his last four seasons. However, his presence on the roster was not based on his playing ability but rather his role as a de facto coach and mentor, embodying the “Heat Culture” and instilling the team philosophy that started with Pat Riley.
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