After Udonis Haslem, Which Miami Heat Jersey Will Be Retired Next?

A look at the short list of players next in line to see their jersey raised to the rafters at the Kaseya Center

Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway, Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and now Udonis Haslem.

Who’s next?

Two Heat players, one past and one present, are top candidates to have their jerseys retired and hung from the rafters at the Kaseya Center. The only question is who retires first.

LeBron James

Arguably the greatest player to ever step foot on the hardwood, James is an obvious choice. Granted, James only played four years in a Heat uniform (2011-2014) but they were the peak of his career and the best four-year stretch in Heat history.

James’ resumé in Miami is stacked, reaching the NBA Finals in all four seasons, and winning the NBA title in 2012 and 2013. The individual accolades poured in as well, being named All-NBA First Team four times, NBA All-Defensive Team four times, and winning back-to-back MVPs and Finals MVPs in 2012 and 2013.

As soon as James took his talents to Miami, the Heat became home to the greatest show in sports.

Jimmy Butler

The heart and soul of the post-Big 3 era, Butler is Heat culture. He began his Miami tenure in the summer of 2019, tasked to lead a team with no real direction.

Now in his fifth season with the Heat, the 34-year-old Butler has brought his team to places that didn’t seem possible when he arrived. He carried his squad to two NBA Finals appearances (2020, 2023) and was a basket from a third (2022). Not to mention that the 2020 and 2023 Finals’ teams were fifth and eighth seeds, respectively.

The 2023 playoff run specifically was one of the most impressive and unexpected runs in NBA history, spearheaded by Butler. In guiding an eighth seed to the Finals for only the second time ever, while dominating names such as Antetokounmpo, Brunson and Tatum, Butler became a Miami Heat legend.

Nobody in a Heat uniform has done more with less than Butler.

Udonis Haslem Fires Back At Paul Pierce After Retired Jersey Comments

Nick Crandell is a staff contributor at Inside the Heat.

He can be reached at nick.crandell33@gmail.com or follow him on Instagram @nickcrandell

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