When Udonis Haslem re-signed with the Heat in 2022, he made it clear that the 2022-23 season would be his last, a stance that he didn’t waver from over the course of the year.
On Friday, he made it clear that he hasn’t reconsidered that decision, publishing an Instagram post in which he officially confirmed that he’s retiring as a player.
“I consider myself extremely blessed to say I can leave this game with no regrets,” Haslem wrote as part of a larger statement. “The championships, the accolades, the brotherhood, man it’s hard not to be at peace. Undrafted to a 3x Champion, All-Rookie 2nd Team, Teammate Of The Year, the oldest player to play in an NBA Finals game, Miami Heat’s all-time leading rebounder and longest-tenured player, the list goes on.
"I will always be the #OG, but now it’s time for the family man and the businessman to get to work… #40, see you in the rafters soon. Until then, #OG out.”
Haslem, 43, joined the Heat as an undrafted free agent in 2003 and spent the next 20 years with the franchise, appearing in 879 regular season games and another 149 postseason contests. He won titles with the club in 2006, 2012 and 2013, averaging 7.5 points and 6.6 rebounds in 24.7 minutes per game over the course of his career.
Although he hasn’t played regular rotation minutes since the 2014-15 season, Haslem remained a valued member of Miami’s roster, signing a series of one-year contracts to remain with the club.
Haslem has been the NBA’s oldest player since Vince Carter retired in 2020, and joins Carter as just one of 10 players in league history to play at least 20 seasons. Unlike most members of that group, Haslem spent all 20 of his seasons with a single team, becoming just the third player in NBA history to play for the same franchise for at least two decades — Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks) and Kobe Bryant (Lakers) are the two others.
Even though Haslem has retired, he has still been around the team this summer, serving as a mentor to its younger players. However, during his final few years as a player, he repeatedly told reporters that he had no desire to become a coach and would prefer to explore the possibility of buying into the Heat as a minority owner.
“I look to take a path of ownership, but to be a working owner, not a guy who crosses his legs and sits on the sideline,” Haslem said in February. “I want to be a guy that connects the dots between the locker room and front office, connects the dots between the front office and the owners.”
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