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Miami Heat's longest-tenured active players Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem took the mic to address Heat fans before the tipoff of their home opener this year. Wade is entering his 16th and final season while Haslem is yet to make a retirement decision following this season.
Here is the video of the heartfelt statements by the Heat veterans in front of the Miami crowd.
https://twitter.com/MiamiHEAT/status/1053814400925294593
The Heat lost to the Charlotte Hornets by one point last night, but Wade was in his usual efficient form. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard scored 21 points, grabbed 3 rebounds, dished off 3 assists, and blocked 2 shots. Wade also made two shots beyond the arc, a skill that he has vastly improved late in his career.
Haslem, signed by the Heat to provide a valuable locker room presence for the team's young studs, did not play.
Recently, Wade and Haslem opened up a pizza restaurant in Miami. The 800° Woodfired Kitchen is a 4,000 square foot restaurant situated in Aventura, Florida.
The 38-year old Haslem is arguably one of the most influential players that ever put on a Heat jersey. His dedication and hardwork became the inspiration for the Heat's much-praised no-nonsense culture. When he signed with the team for another veteran's minimum deal this offseason instead of going overseas to make more money and play more minutes, he said that the decision was entirely for his love for the organization.
“It's about my love for the organization and my love for the guys,” Haslem said. “It wasn't about me. If I was looking for playing time, I could have gone someplace else or played in China or something. But at the end of the day, would it have made me as happy as being around this organization and being around these guys? No, I don't think it would.”
With a goal of making their last year as teammates more memorable, Wade and Haslem look to push the Heat into a deeper postseason run this year.
