Udonis Haslem's No. 40 Becomes Sixth Miami Heat Jersey Retired
Miami Heat legend Udonis Haslem joined elite company during tonight's game against the Atlanta Hawks.
His No. 40 jersey has been officially retired by the organization.
He joins a star-studded list of players to have their jersey retired. 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.
The halftime event left Haslem emotional as he watched the banner rise to the rafters. One of the most beloved players in franchise history receives an honor that few have experienced in their lives.
“The Miami Heat organization, we will not only always celebrate his legacy, but we’ll educate people on his legacy,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “And his legacy is important to the league as well. My hope is this gets acknowledged and recognized throughout the league … so this new generation of younger players can understand what being an all-time winner can look like.”
Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Inside the Heat.
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