(Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
For years, Udonis Haslem has been a mainstay for the Miami Heat.
Fans from rival teams don’t seem to get his importance and weight in the locker room and organization, often calling him out for occupying a roster spot instead of simply retiring to join the coaching staff.
And while that might as well be true, Haslem has most definitely earned his stripes within the franchise.
Haslem is widely respected among his NBA peers and colleagues.
As a matter of fact, Toronto Raptors star Fred VanVleet recently went as far as to call him one of the greatest undrafted players in NBA history, praising his durability in the league.
Fred VanVleet says Udonis Haslem is one of the greatest undrafted players of all time
“Undrafted to a 20-year career, staple, impeccable name, respect around the world. I gotta put him on the list. I like him a lot.”
(Via @TaylorRooks ) pic.twitter.com/wfwi5YV3XC
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) April 4, 2023
Needless to say, Haslem has done little to back that case up in terms of his individual production, as he’s been a role player for the better part of his career.
Aside from their first NBA championship and a couple of times where his physicality was actually a factor on the floor, Haslem’s numbers have never been remarkable.
But his impact on the team has gone way beyond the stat sheet.
He’s been their glue guy, someone to look up to, and a mentor for nearly every player that has been a part of the team for the past two decades.
Haslem won’t be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and that’s fine.
But his no. 40 jersey will one day hang high in the rafters at the Miami-Dade Arena when he finally decides to free that roster spot up for a younger player.
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