There is no denying the deep loyalty Miami Heat great Udonis Haslem has for the franchise, but he took it too far during a pep talk following the league-wide retirement of Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell’s number.
While Haslem won’t go down as one of the greatest statistical players in Miami Heat history, he is one of the most beloved players ever for the franchise. Over a 20-year career, he was a part of 15 winning teams and three championship seasons. Yet while he is a fan-favorite in Florida, he pales in comparison to an icon like Bill Russell.
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The Boston Celtics legend was one of the league’s first prominent African American athletes and one of the NBA’s greatest winners after he led his teams to 11 championships. His influence on the sport and society during his career is unmatched, and it did not surprise long-time fans of the sport when his number was retired across the league last season.
Udonis Haslem was offended by a Boston Celtics icon’s jersey hanging in the Miami Heat rafters
However, one person who was not happy about the deceased NBA great’s number being posted in his arena’s rafters was Haslem. During an appearance on “The OGs Show,” hosted by Haslem and former Heat teammate Mike Miller, current star Bam Adebayo revealed a moment from a pep talk the now-retired Haslem gave following the ceremony for Russell and before a game against the Celtics.
“We playing Boston. You know his feel on that. So, you know, we’re in the huddle and [Haslem] comes in there, he gives his pre-game speech and they retired Bill Russell’s jersey for everybody in the league. So they got [No. 6] in our rafters. And he ends his pre-game speech like [expletive] Bill Russell too.”
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Haslem claims he had to “repent” that statement and he respects Russell but he made it clear on the episode how disrespected he felt over a jersey from the hated Boston Celtics hanging in their building. The 43-year-old believes the jersey for a Miami Heat player would never hang in another team’s rafters, and he is probably right.
But more because the Heat have never had an icon the level of Russell on their franchise.
