Shaquille O'Neal, Dywane Wade Headline Miami Heat's 2000s All-Decade Team
The Miami Heat’s championship aspirations weren’t looking good in the early 2000s.
But they took a turn for the better in 2003.
With Pat Riley now at the helm, he was responsible for drafting Dwyane Wade as the fifth pick in the draft. The Heat won a championship in just Wade's third year.
Here's a look at five players who made a difference during the decade:
Eddie Jones, guard, 2000-05, 2006-07
After spending two years with the Charlotte Hornets, Jones expressed interest in playing for his hometown. A Fort Lauderdale native, Jones was traded to the Heat in 2000. It was then when he started to grow more as a player, averaging 16 points, three assists, and one steal. When star Alonzo Mourning was diagnosed with a kidney disease, Jones averaged a team-high 17 points.
His best game was in 2002 when he scored a career-high 38 points against the Golden State Warriors. Jones was later traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in 2005 but returned to Miami on a minimum contract in 2007.
Dwyane Wade, guard, 2003-16, 2017-19
Wade made an immediate impact on the franchise. In just his third year, he inserted himself in the conversation of greatest Heat players of all-time. Along with Shaquille O’Neal, he helped the Heat win their first championship. What made it extra special was he averaged 34 points in the Finals against Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks.
Wade is the Heat’s all-time leading scorer (21,556), assists (5,310) and steals (1,492). His jersey was retired in 2020 and is now on his way to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Brian Grant, forward, 2000-04
The Heat signing Grant to a seven-year $86 million contract was puzzling at first. He averaged seven points and five rebounds in the previous season with the Portland Trail Blazers but showed improvement with the Heat.
He averaged 15 points and eight rebounds in 2001, including two highlight performances. On Nov. 3, he scored 33 points against the Charlotte Hornets. Two games later, he recorded 30 points and 21 rebounds in a victory against the Seattle Supersonics.
In 2004, Grant was involved in the trade for Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal.
Udonis Haslem, forward, 2003-23
The recently retired Haslem put his footprint on the organization after going undrafted out of college.
He averaged 10 points and eight rebounds when he was a starter from 2003-2009 before settling for a reserve role later in his career.
Haslem will join Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Tim Hardaway, Alonzo Mourning and Shaquille O'Neal as Heat players with their jersey retired.
Shaquille O’Neal, center, 2004-08
O’Neal is well-known for his days with the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers but his four years with the Heat were special. During his time, he was a three-time All-Star who helped Wade win his first championship.
With his prime in the rearview, he still scored 40 points against the Washington Wizards in 2004. Many felt he should have won MVP that season ahead of Steve Nash.
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Cory Nelson is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He attended Northern Virginia Community College. He can be reached at corymckenzienelson@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter @CKenzyNelson. You can also check out his personal blog HERE.
