Fifty-eight games. That's how many appearances Udonis Haslem has made for the Miami Heat over the past SIX seasons. This year, he's averaging just 6.4 minutes off the bench. Nevertheless, it would be a mistake to think that the 41-year-old plays a minor role for his team. He may not be playing, but the truth is Haslem remains to be one of the most integral players on the roster for the Heat.
From being the starting center of a championship team, Haslem transitioned into being the team's talisman on the bench. He does not need playing time to make his mark on the squad, and his influence on his teammates remains unmatched. Be that as it may, the 18-year veteran himself admits that the transition was not easy for him. Haslem recently revealed that he lost a lot of sleep as he tried to accept his diminished role for the Heat many years ago:
“It’s not easy. It’s never easy because I’m a competitor and I can still contribute,” Haslem said, via Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. “… It was some dark nights. As a competitor, you’re trying to figure it out because you’re not getting in the game and you don’t understand why you’re putting in the work and things are not going in your favor. There’s definitely some dark nights and frustrations.”
Nevertheless, Haslem was able to figure out why this was all happening. Once he did, the three-time NBA champ was able to find his value for the team.
“I’ve never been given anything, so this is just another challenge, another thing in front of me, another wall, another barrier,” continued the Heat vet. “So I was like, ‘What are you going to do, bro?’ Well, I figured out how to impact winning from all angles: from a starter, from the bench, from a guy coming off the bench… My job is to win, that’s it. It’s as simple as that. It’s not how you want me to do it, but it doesn’t matter. I still do it. I do it pretty damn good, too. That’s all I care about.”
Udonis Haslem is now hoping that he is able to help the Heat win a title perhaps for one last time. Miami is just a couple of wins away from heading to the NBA Finals. Haslem has been in this position a few times in the past and he knows what his team will need to get the job done.
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