The Miami Heat are in Orlando and practicing for the NBA restart. Speaking with the media, Udonis Haslem was as candid as ever on Friday.
The Miami Heat culture is a real thing. If you follow the team in the least bit, then this is something that you should definitely already know but if you don’t and didn’t know, it is.
While it would exist regardless inside of the Miami Heat’s building, locker room, and within the organization period, it will always remain as strong as ever as long as they have one of the culture curators in place.
While this is something that can evolve with time, as these “curators” can be shaped or molded, such as Jimmy Butler, you also have those there that helped create it or was the grasshopper to a sensei that was one of these creators. That describes Erik Spoelstra, the grasshopper, and Pat Riley who you would ultimately consider his sensei.
Then, you have those that are simply grown, harvested, and bathed in the culture. This describes the man known as The OG, Udonis Haslem.
A man that is typically about his action, more so than words, UD must have been feeling chatty on Friday. We say this, as he gave sports writer Tim Reynolds quite the trio of quotes. Here is the first one.
I asked Udonis Haslem if he's upset that Jamal Crawford got signed and that he's no longer the oldest player in the league.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) July 10, 2020
His answer: "I'm still the sexiest guy in the league."
Being recently, and finally, signed by a team in the Brooklyn Nets in their search for replacement players, Jamal Crawford officially takes over the reins as the oldest player in the league from Udonis. As he indicates, that wasn’t a concern of his it seems, because what’s important to him is what he touched on.
The Miami Heat got their first practice going in the NBA bubble on Friday and Udonis Haslem was feeling chatty.
Here is another gem from the captain of the Miami Heat. He must have really enjoyed his conversation with Reynolds.
The Captain on what he'll say in games. "I tend to have a potty mouth and there ain't no fans in there," Mr. Haslem said.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) July 10, 2020
That sounds about right from the captain. A man that wears his emotions like a badge of honor, as they tend to be the most passionate and team inspiring, I can totally see UD letting it fly in the NBA bubble.
That’ll have to be one of the biggest advantages about there being no fans from a viewer perspective, you get to hear everything and even more so than you already can during traditional NBA broadcasts. Haslem didn’t stop there though. Here is one more interesting tidbit he shared with Reynolds.
More from UD: He's going with "Black Lives Matter" on his jersey.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) July 10, 2020
Such a UD move. With the league allowing the players to make a statement on the backs of their jerseys instead of their names, it’s no surprise to see UD going with this one. It was never in doubt that he would do something there though, as he tends to be one to be vocal about his beliefs.
Miami Heat basketball is back people! As a bonus, we got some unfiltered Udonis commentary in the process.
I would say that’s a win-win scenario. It’s also the right way to start things off in Orlando, brilliant, entertaining, and thoughtful words from the captain.