The Miami Heat retire Udonis Haslem’s jersey 🫶 | NBA on ESPN

The Miami Heat retire Udonis Haslem’s jersey 🫶 | NBA on ESPN

And now please direct your attention to Center Court and welcome heat original and television play byplay announcer Eric Reed good evening the heat Nation here at CA Center and around the world we have celebrated so many special moments in heat history in our 36 years and

Trust me tonight is one of those moments it’s the greatest Miami Heat story ever told about a young man born and raised in Miami who became a 16 year Captain the leading rebounder in the history of the franchise the greatest leader in the history of the franchise

And one of just three NBA players ever to spend 20 years with one team Kobe Dirk and UD tonight Udonis joins his rightful and earned place on the Miami Heats forever team he will be the sixth number retired all you’ll have to do forever is look up to the rafters to remember and

Appreciate Udonis you did it brother you did it let’s get on with the program I want to introduce the people to my left Pat Riley heat president basketball Operations Mickey arrison managing General partner Nick arrison CEO o Andy ellisburg general manager Executive Vice President of basketball operations Alonzo Morning Basketball Hall of Famer vice president of player programs retired number 33 Tim Hardaway Basketball Hall of Famer heat Legend retired number 10 Dwayne Wade Hall of Famer the heat Legend retired number

Three we also have with us the first head coach in Miami Heat history Ron rosin Shane Bader two-time champ with a heat Mario chamers two-time champ with a heat Goran dragic one of the most beloved players in franchise history Quinton Richardson who gave us his heart and soul in the 0910

Season Jason Williams on that 2006 first ever championship team derell Wright oh we remember you when you were just a young man on that first championship team and of course the head coach of the Miami Heat and his staff welcome Eric spoler to this beautiful night now to my right Udonis Haslam and

His wife Faith their three children Elijah Haslam Josiah Haslam and kadas hlam and those empty seats you see are in memory of Johnny Haslam Deborah Haslam and Barbara Wooten more on them in just one moment Udonis we have several gifts for you from the Heat organization I want to

Direct your attention to our left first a $50,000 donation to The Udonis Haslam Family Foundation from the heat charitable fund a game warn Jersey hand painted by dsum the artist who created the famous Udonis ham mural in Winwood there’s the replica Jersey Banner so Udonis can take

Home a piece of tonight and his history and a personalized special edition bomber jackets for Udonis and his family all right we’re getting there folks we’re getting there Udonis we want to go back to your parents for a moment we know they were your biggest supporters they were Staples here at the

Heat house for every game everybody that knows you and knows them knows how proud they were of you how much they loved you and enjoyed sharing your career with you check out this Video it is so wonderful to watch your child fulfill his dream he’s humble he’s grateful he’s thankful to be where he is that’s something he always wanted to do play in the NBA and I knew once he got the opportunity that he’ll never look Back without Udonis hasm but what would tonight be without celebrating those who help Udonis get to where he is right now and those seats that that we see in front of us right there those are the very seats where where Udonis his parents sat and watched him play the

Late and Oho great Johnny Haslam Deborah Haslam and Barbra Wooten each night they watch Udonis as only a parent could during your 20-year Journey from undrafted Underdog to Miami Heat Legend and the Heat have pulled those seats from their former location in the arena etched their names in gold and now those

Seats will go home with Udonis and his family in addition as a gift and tribute to your legacy Udonis the Heat have installed three new seats in their place also identified with the names of your parents to remain in the house that you help build for ever connecting the

Haslam name as a part of Miami Heat history what do you want me to dance that was a great moment uh back in 2006 uh the opportunity to win our first World Championship uh I recall that that game in the fourth quarter when everything was on the

Line uh besides having Dwayne Wade and zo sort of dominate that game in the fourth quarter it was UD making three or four great jumpers and plays you remember every single one of them that helped us win that first title yes and we’re back there one of those those

Three it’s his day today it’s a sad day for me personally it’s a great day for I think the city of Miami uh because above us uh our players uh who will go down in the history of this franchise as some of the greatest players that we’ve ever had obviously we

Hang their jerseys with their name on it uh they’re right over here we don’t have Chris Bosch here here or Shaquille O’Neal but we’re going to put up another one I like this I like the fact that we have an opportunity with everybody bearing witness and especially his

Family and all of you and whoever is next back there of the young players that are playing on the court tonight and some veterans uh that will be the next and there will be a next because there’s always great players that come around UD is one of

Them I know this for a fact that a player’s greatest fear is his fear of Extinction but what he fears more than that is to One Day become extinct with insignificance and what that means to me is that a player simply wants to know that somewhere his career his play his

Personality his power his Force mattered and it counted Udonis haslin his Force mattered and it counted and that’s one of the reasons why we’re hanging his jersey here today you don’t merely want to be considered the best of the best you want to be considered the only ones who do

What you do there’s nothing wrong in separating yourself from the pack there’s nothing wrong in in making yourself uni unique and to make sure that one day you do leave Footprints Udonis Hasam is going to leave a very big footprint and that footprint right now is going to lead right over here to

This jersey go to the Raptor I be forevering baby the same that’s why the Ste Love Me Baby Talk B see I’m I blow your you your my in your ass so far you do off and when I take off it’s like I took off and when I ride by it’s like I Way [Applause] And without any

Watch as Eric Reid and Pat Riley give speeches as the Miami Heat retire Udonis Haslem’s jersey number, No. 40, after he spent 20 seasons with the team.
(via @BallyHeat/X)

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