We had to see this coming. Shane Battier of the Miami Heat is nearing retirement after an extensive 13-year NBA career. He has been a key veteran cog for Miami during its recent championship run and has always been considered a quiet leader both on and off the court.
Battier, who is known for his stellar defense, is also considered one of the smartest men in the game. He finished high school with a 3.96 GPA and finished out his Duke career as a two-time Academic All-American and the Academic All-American of the Year in 2001. Needless to say, Battier has always possessed a higher calling than the NBA.
According to a report by Zach Lowe of Grantland, Battier has previously been approached by higher-ranking members of the Democratic party as a potential Senatorial candidate.
Battier is nearing retirement now, and he can no longer shoot, dribble, or defend like he once did. The Michigan Democratic Party recently called him to see if he might consider running to replace U.S. Senator Carl Levin, Battier said. He declined, but he’s closer to retirement than he is to the player who helped Miami unlock its identity.
Would any of us be surprised if Battier got into politics one day? The simple fact that the first time he was approached was to run was as a United States Senator has to tell us what the powers to be think of him.
Photo: Anthony Gruppuso, USA Today