Udonis Haslem Jersey Retirement!

Udonis Haslem Jersey Retirement!

What a career Udonis Haslem has had wearing a Miami Heat jersey! The hometown kid was born and grew up in Miami. Now, he has the opportunity to see his number hanging in his favorite team's arena. After going undrafted in 2002 and then winning three championships with the franchise, One of the greatest role players in the franchise became a staple of what we know now as 'Heat Culture'.

In the 2006 finals, Udonis Haslem was the guy who did the dirty work. He was great matching up against Dirk Nowitzki, where he played great defense. Miami Heat legend Shaq credits Udonis Haslem with helping him win his fourth NBA title. This statement is an example of how crucial UD was in helping the Miami Heat win their first title. Not only was Udonis helpful in winning in 2006, but he was big in helping the Big 3 Heat era.

As NBA fans, we tend to talk about the Big 3 Heat era. We talk about LeBron James, one of the greatest players of all time. We also talk about Dwayne Wade, the greatest Heat player of all time. And we talk about Chris Bosh, a hall of famer. But we forget about the one who sacrificed his own pay to win a title. He took a five-year, 20 million-dollar deal with the Heat. He turned down a 34 million-dollar deal from the Denver Nuggets or Dallas Mavericks. UD made a huge sacrifice. He left 14 million dollars behind to secure two NBA championships. He was the heart of the team and the best man to have in the locker room. These pay cuts show the love he had for the city.

Udonis has been there since the time of Alonzo Mourning. He has been there from the young Dwayne Wade and Shaq era to playing in the big three with Lebron James and Chris Bosh. He played during Goran Dragic's All-Star year. Then, he played with Jimmy Butler, who led the Heat to two finals. The idea of the Heat without Haslem on the bench is crazy, but time is the ultimate villain. The retirement of Haslem's jersey represents his on-court play. It also honors the sacrifices and impact he made. The number 40 in Miami will always represent UD, even if he is gone from this world.