The Miami Heat are planning next month to immortalize the No. 40 jersey worn by Udonis Haslem.
Haslem’s jersey will be raised into the rafters at Kaseya Center in Miami, Fla. during halftime of the Heat’s Jan. 19 contest against the Atlanta Hawks.
Haslem spent his entire 20-year career with the Heat before retiring at the end of the 2022-23 campaign. He was a member of all three championship teams in franchise history — the 2006 title and back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013. Haslem is also the Heat’s all-time leading rebounder with 5,791 boards.
Haslem perfectly embodied the “Heat Culture” mantra that franchise president Pat Riley has consistently tried to instill among Miami’s players over the years.
“It’s about a great legacy,” Riley said of retiring Haslem’s jersey. “A ‘thank you’ moment that has been earned over 20 years of being an incredible championship player and most importantly, the best leader. He’s going to have his day and I can’t wait to see his jersey hang in the rafters.”
Haslem’s jersey will be the sixth one retired by the Heat. He will join Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway, Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade in receiving the honor.
It’s not often you see a player with career averages of 7.5 points and 6.6 rebounds get his jersey retired. But given what Haslem meant to the Heat organization and fans, it’s not hard to see why.
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