NBA veteran Udonis Haslem is coming back for another go-round with the Miami Heat next season. The announcement of Haslem's return has already made Heat forward James Johnson's season before it has even started, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald:
“It made my season. And we haven’t even started yet,” Johnson said of getting Haslem back as a teammate. “Absolutely. Because he’s the one to hold people in check. He wants confrontation and he’ll call people out. As a leader, you want him to call people out. And I’m not excluding myself. I’ve been called out by UD a lot of times. And that’s the gratitude of it. You take it and you keep moving.”
The Miami native will suit up for his 17th campaign with the Heat. This marks a franchise record, making him the longest-tenured player in franchise history. Likewise, he is now the longest-tenured player to play with one team in the NBA thanks to the retirement of Dirk Nowitzki.
Haslem is a three-time NBA champion with the Heat, and he is also the franchise's all-time leader in offensive, defensive, and total rebounds.
Miami has long called Udonis Haslem the heart and soul of the team. The Heat don't necessarily need Haslem's services on the court anymore (he has played 77 games over the past four seasons), but his value comes from his much-needed locker room presence and guidance. Having a keep-it-real veteran like Haslem is certainly something all locker rooms need.
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