Udonis Haslem Shares Hilarious Story About Nearly Fighting Shaquille O'Neal

Udonis Haslem talks about his experiences with the Miami Heat in GQ interview
Udonis Haslem Shares Hilarious Story About Nearly Fighting Shaquille O'Neal
Udonis Haslem Shares Hilarious Story About Nearly Fighting Shaquille O'Neal /

Miami Heat team captain Udonis Haslem is often called the team's enforcer. 

He has defended several of his teammates, including Dwyane Wade and many others. In a recent interview with GQ, Haslem detailed his near scuffles with former teammates. They included Shaquille O'Neal and Gary Payton. 

“The fight was me trying to hold Shaq back and he threw me like a sack of potato chips,” Haslem said in a recent interview with Tyler R. Tynes of GQ. “I’m trying to save Pat’s old ass and Shaq grabbed me and swung me. He threw me down like that and I was just trying to stop him. Imagine if he really wanted a piece of me? I would’ve had to tase him!”

Haslem also spoke of an almost altercation with Payton, who was on the 2006 championship team. 

“We started arguing and Gary went and got a broomstick,” Haslem said. “[Head coach Pat Riley] kicked us outta practice. We had a game that night and me and Gary didn’t speak the whole game. He was finna hit me wit’ a broomstick!”

The full GQ interview can be read here.

Haslem was famously known for a flagrant foul against Indiana Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough in retaliation of a hard foul against Wade during the playoffs. Last year Haslem was ejected after getting in the face of Washington Wizards center Dwight Howard. 

The 41-year-old Haslem is in his 19th season with the Heat. He is the longest tenured player in franchise history and the club's all-time leading rebounder.


Published
Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star.  TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here