Often Miami Heat Hater Throws Shade At Udonis Haslem's Jersey Retirement
Paul Pierce was one of the most vocal critics of the Miami Heat as a player and an analyst.
So it was no surprise when he took aim at retired Heat player Udonis Haslem for getting his jersey retired last week. On an Instagram post, Pierce claimed the honor was more of a token appreciation for Haslem instead of because of his accomplishments.
"This one given bro, just saying," Pierce wrote on Instagram in response to Haslem's jersey being raised to the rafters.
Pierce and Haslem have a longstanding feud, dating to when Haslem referred to Pierce as a "studio gangster" during the early portion of the decade.
Despite Pierce's shade, Haslem joined a star-studded list of players to have their jersey retired in Miami. It includes Dwyane Wade, Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Hardaway, and Chris Bosh.
“You all got the money on me crying, don’t y’all? I know you all think I’m going to cry,” Haslem said. “Yeah, it’s hard. It’s hard. It’s hard. Heat Nation, it’s been an absolute honor, man.”
The three-time NBA champion retired after 20 seasons with the team. He was named the Vice President of Basketball Development in Nov. 2023.
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Shandel Richardson covers the Miami Heat for Inside The Heat, a Fan Nation channel for Sports Illustrated. He has covered the NBA since 2010.
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