By Andrew Sharp
Translator: Moon Half Lovevich
Reviewed by Jabariiverson
Editor: Jabari
Word count: 18,782 words
Estimated reading time: 35 minutes
Note: The original article was first published on September 29
When it comes to "Heat culture," people tend to refer to veteran Judonis Haslem. The succinct miami native, who worked hard, from joining hands with Dwyane Wade on the first day of his career to becoming a dressing room sage and reaching this year's finals with the team, Haslem has been the soul of the team for the past 17 seasons.
Translator's Note: At the time of the original author's publication, the Heat and lakers' finals had not yet been won or lost.
Most of the sports legends are famous and honorable, so their historical status has long gone without saying. There are exceptions, however, where these athletes are able to get attention for reasons that are hard to say. Compared with the achievements achieved, the efforts behind this group of athletes may be more well known. Maybe the Hall of Fame will shut them out, but anyone who has followed them will always remember these obscure sports legends.
Judonis Haslem falls into the latter category. A Miami native, Haslem spent 17 seasons with the Heat. As a draft loser, Haslem lost 50 pounds and struggled to enter the league. Just a few years later, Haslem took the lead in the team and won with the team. A few years later, as one of the most unpopular dynastic teams in the history of sport, Haslem played the role of team glue. To this day, the veteran with the three championship rings, despite being on the sidelines, whenever he talks to the Heat insiders, they will praise UD in a tone of great respect, praising the South Florida household name. Heat general manager Pat Riley concluded: "He's Mr. Riley in basketball. 305[Note] He is Liberty City, he is the embodiment of Miami. ”
The famous Miami-born American rapper Pitbull often uses mr. 305 self-proclaimed.
"He's a professional," Chris Bosh said, "he's a pure grandfather." I would like to say that my mom, who worked all the way from the unknown countryside. No one gave him a chance, no one helped him. He came in alone, fought hard to win a spot, and now he's one of Florida's greatest athletes. ”
"The most worthwhile thing to say," dwyane Wade said, "is the embodiment of the team." He is the embodiment of the city. Even now, his words are as loud as ever. It's incredible. Most veterans won't have that much influence after they can't play. But he just has the respect of others. His influence can ripple through everyone. If you don't like UD, then you're probably a little bit wrong. ”
Maybe you've heard the argument before that the Heat are gaining momentum this year. They cleanly eliminated the top seeded Bucks in five games, then beat the Celtics in six games to reach the Finals for the first time since 2014. Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Taylor Hiero and a host of rising stars, the Heat have been renewed, but even so, Haslem is still an important member of the team, playing a role in connecting the team's glorious past. "It's true he doesn't play much now," Golan Dragic said in a recent interview, "but he's still in the squad and teaching the experience to the young players." These young players include Kendrick Narn, Bam (Adebayo) and Taylor (Hiro). I mean, in your words, he could have enjoyed the twilight of his playing career, after all, he's got several championship rings. But he's still sticking to the team, man. He stayed in the team for others. As for me, I now sit by his side and observe his words and deeds, and I hope that one day I will be able to do the same. ”
On March 11 this year, the NBA announced a shutdown, and the vast majority of Heat players chose to stay at home in Miami, which is quite rare in the league. During this long period of isolation, Haslem took on the burden of connecting the whole team. "Bam was at my house every day," Haslem recalled, "and I stayed with my brothers. I would take the time to mentor Giro. Duncan (Robinson) would also come to my house. And derek Jones Jr. Well, maybe I didn't follow the rules (of social distancing), but I'm a veteran of the team after all, and I just want to keep in touch with everyone. A lot of people on our team are new to their careers, and they're miles away from home. This special time will be lonely for them. Having said that, Haslem added: "Whatever happens in Miami, I will never allow myself to be unaware." So whatever they're doing out there, I need to know something. ”
Since then, NBA games have moved to Orlando. In the second round of the playoffs, the Heat gave the Bucks a 3-0 lead, but before that, they once entered the fourth quarter with a 12-point deficit in game three of the series. "At that time, it was UD that stabilized the hearts of the military," said coach Eric Spollstra, who said of this key point. Adebayor added the following details: "At that time UD pulled Jimmy and I (Butler) aside and told us to be the best players on the field. "In the fifth game of the series with Boston, a scene of déjà vu was staged again. In the second half of the game, ESPN cameras captured Haslem teaching his teammates on the sidelines.
Haslem himself explained: "These guys believe me. Not only because of what I've done in the past, but also because they see how I work with everyone at the gym. I'm not just sitting there, waiting for everyone to listen to me nagging. I won the respect of these guys with my attitude on the training ground, with the concentration in the video lessons, and with the persistence in the strength room. That's the difference between me and the coach. It's not that they don't trust the coaching staff, of course, but if you sweat like them, fight on the pitch, put yourself in their shoes, it's definitely different. Such an effort will eventually become a form of trust. ”
During this year's playoffs, the discussion about "Heat culture" has not diminished, but at the same time, there are various speculations in the outside world, which seem mysterious. Of the many conjectures, how many are true? What makes the Miami Heat stand out from the crowd in comparison to other teams? In response, general manager Riley has repeatedly mentioned his team values in past interviews, saying that he hopes to create "the hardest-working, best-built, most ethical, most selfless, toughest, dirtiest, least unpopular team in the league." But such an ideal alone is not enough to make the team go long. If you're curious about what heat culture looks like, start by learning about Haslem's coming-of-age story.
"He was the embodiment of [Heat culture]," Spolstra said, "and years later, when we asked, 'What is Miami Heat team culture?'" We can use words like, 'The team that trains the hardest, the team with the most work ethic, the team that stays the best in shape, and so on.' Or we could just take out a picture of Judonis Haslem. ”
Pictured here is the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals, Haslem against the Pacers
Judonis Haslem's father was named John Haslem. In the late 1970s, Haslem's father was the main varsity team player at Miami Northwest High School, and his father was also a regular in the summer league when miami-Dade North Community College held a summer league. Growing up in Miami's Liberty City neighborhood, Judonis, like many of the post-80s and post-90s generations in the region, haslem idolized the University of Miami football team. Whenever the University of Miami Hurricanes hit the Orange Bowl, Haslem was bound to watch, and when he entered high school, Haslem occasionally worked to save money to buy special tickets for the game. During his time with the Miami Dolphins, NFL legendary quarterback Dan Marino, whenever the team played, Haslem would sometimes come to the game venue near Joe Robbie Stadium, sit on the high wall across the road, and watch the game through the huge screen inside the field.
Haslem's birth mother, Debra, was absent at every important moment in his adult life, but during his childhood, the mother long struggled with drug addiction. As a result, Haslem spent much of his childhood with his father and stepmother Barbara Wooten. In the words of his high school coach, although the Haslem family was "full of wind and scars in life," their home was always warm and the family was always hospitable. As a child, Haslem moved with his family to Jacksonville, Northeast Florida, and years later, it was the high school coach who warmly welcomed Haslem back to Miami and arranged for him to join the Miami High School team. That coach is Frank Martin, who is now the head coach of the University of South Carolina team.
During his time in the high school league, Haslem was quite similar to O'Neal the "Big Shark". Haslem, who is 6 feet 8 inches tall, weighed 280 pounds when he graduated from high school. Legend has it that in 9th grade Haslem smashed a rebound. Halfway through the high school league, Haslem moved to Miami High School, and since then his on-field performances have stalled. Coach Martin coached Miami High School from 1995 to 1998, and in his eyes, haslem moved well, felt soft and played in his junior year. "He was a little bit bigger than everybody else and stronger than everybody else," Martin recalls, "and because of that, he was laid-back on the pitch." ”
To solve this problem, Martin recruited star player Mark Thurston from the football varsity team next door (the brother who played as a linebacker for three seasons at West Virginia University after graduating from high school) and let him train with the basketball team. Looking back on this scene now, Haslem laughs incessantly: "This guy tortures me enough every day." Before that, I thought playing basketball was a joyous thing to do. But when I came to Miami High School, I quickly understood that if I wanted to do my best, the process couldn't be fun. Coach Frank wasn't going to blow fouls. He meant it as if he were saying, 'Well, that's how difficulties are in front of you.' What are you going to do? ’”
When Haslem transferred, Miami High School was as invincible on the basketball court as the Miami University Hurricanes in the college football league that year. In the 1980s and 1990s, the team won the State League eight times in 13 seasons. In the two years of Haslem's appearance, the team won an impressive record of 71-2 and achieved a state league streak. The year they graduated from high school, fans were still wearing the printed "I've been here before." Won last year. This year we have to win. "The cultural shirt with the words came to cheer haslem on. (It's worth mentioning that after winning the championship, Miami High School was caught up in an admissions scandal and was eventually forced to hand over the 1998 state league title.) This is similar to the University of Miami Hurricanes, which later became mired in an admissions scandal. ）
Anthony Grant, now head coach at Darden University, was one of Billy Donovan's teaching assistants at the University of Florida coaching staff, and he witnessed Haslem lead the high school varsity team to dominate Miami. Prior to this, Grant himself had played varsity teams at Miami High School. "We guys were passionate about the game," Coach Grant recalled, "and we also had a different kind of affection for Miami High School." We have a special team culture. Although I don't know how we described this thing back then, this different kind of emotion is indeed the embodiment of the team's culture. The biggest feature of this team culture is the high degree of competitiveness. Once someone steps into the pitch, he either fits in and becomes part of the team's culture, or he gets stepped on by it. ”
Haslem's high school varsity team and many young talents who later entered the NCAA D1 division included Steve Blake, a veteran who played in the NBA for 16 seasons, and local legends Brent Wright, Antonio Latimer and Selblin Robinson. Talented, they make every training match competitive, and when the game officially starts, they have to sacrifice for playing time and shooting rights. At Miami High School, no player has ever been able to casually hang out on the varsity team for four years. "We are like brothers," Haslem said, "but not everyone can be our brother." ”
Coach Martin said in an interview: "If you can't play, decide to transfer schools? The rest of the team will think it's okay. But if you want to come back after you leave? They'll punch you in the face and throw you straight out of the arena. The players are proud of the stadium and everyone on the team. ”
When haslem's work attitude was talked about during the interview, Coach Martin revealed this story: "In his junior year of high school, the whole team was preparing for the state championship, and his training attitude at that time was not good. I'm not happy about that. So I ordered the players to run. I was about to lecture after the run when [Haslem] threw up. And I said, 'Now we're ready to win.' The training was then announced. We exhausted Haslem and everyone understood it was a huge challenge for him. But he accepted like a champion and came on the field the next day and completely destroyed the opponent with everyone. This experience is closely related to the team ideas we want to build. ”
The year Haslem graduated from high school, Miami High School received national attention. But due to the star-studded team, Haslem averaged only 13 points and 6 rebounds per game. His performance was overlooked by most college admissions teams. After graduating from high school, Haslem joined the University of Florida, but he received the least applause among the new students of the same class, because the team also recruited McDonald's All-American high school players Mike Miller and Teddy Dupai.
"Years later, when we asked, 'What is the Miami Heat's team culture?' We can use words like, 'The team that trains the hardest, the team with the most work ethic, the team that stays in shape, and so on.' Or we could just take out a picture of Judonis Haslem. —Eric Spoorstra
The freshman semester had not yet begun, and as soon as the freshmen had reported to Gainesville, Haslem gave everyone a chance to get off the hook. "I settled down at school," Miller recalled, "and the brothers went to play wild ball." I rushed in to get a dunk, and he grabbed me in the air. I just stood firm and he said there was no dunk here. Recalling this scene, Haslem grinned: "It's not that you don't let the dunk, you can't fall to the ground." I weighed about 275 pounds and Miller about 190 pounds. So you can imagine the picture at that time, Miller really suffered a loss in the confrontation. ”
Soon after this physical confrontation, the two players began to respect each other. Haslem recalled his first impression of Miller: "This bastard is so cold. I've never seen a white guy play like that. You may have heard it, but you won't believe it without seeing it with your own eyes. This guy is as rare as a unicorn. ”
Haslem was born in Liberty City, while Miller is from Mitchell, South Dakota, and the two were roommates at the University of Florida. Soon they became close friends. "I quickly got closer to UD," Miller said, "and we didn't grow up in the same environment, but we had similar views of the future." We all care about the people around us, we also care about the game, we are all people who train hard. Such people will naturally attract each other. ”
After his sophomore year, Miller decided to enter the NBA, and Haslem held out until his senior year. Recalling his college career in Gainesville, Haslem says it was the best four years of his life. Haslem has led his team to the NCAA Tournament every year for four years, and he was nominated for the SEC Division's Best Team three times. Under his leadership, the varsity team reached the final four for the second time in history. By the time he graduated, Haslem had the most wins in varsity history. Not only that, but Haslem also met his future wife, Faith from the school's track and field team, in college. Overall, Haslem was an eye-opener at university.
"I'm not kidding," Haslem said, "I've never had a white friend before. Miami is full of blacks, Hispanics, Cubans, Dominicans... Before you meet anyone else, you think everyone is living the same life as you. And then you're shocked, 'True or false?' How did you grow up? None of your friends have been arrested? None of your friends have been killed? You think what you've experienced as a child is the life of a normal person. Then you realize that there is a whole new world that you didn't know about. ”
But after graduating, Haslem experienced a different world again. Out of Florida, Haslem was just a soft, under-height player who didn't have a place in the league at the time. In the 2002 draft, Haslem lost. At the same time, he has a young son in his family who is waiting to be fed. After the Draft in June, as time crept by, it became clear that Haslem's best bet was to go overseas.
In 2002, Haslem played for the Atlanta Hawks in the Boston Summer League. During this time, he and Coach Frank Martin met again. By then Martin had left Miami High School to become an assistant coach at Northwestern University. "Haslem was miserable then," Martin said. Haslem didn't even qualify for most of the teams. In his few trial experiences, he could feel that these teams had not seriously considered themselves.
Over lunch with his veteran coach in Boston, Haslem told the coach that he had done all the right things and had won in every league level, and he knew he was better than the selected players he played in the summer league. "I know you're a stronger player," Coach Martin told Haslem, "but I don't work in the NBA." In fact, the guys who work in the NBA, they take it for granted that you're just not as good as the other players. ”
Pictured here is Haslem's rookie season, Shaquille O'Neal is blocking his future Heat teammate
In 2003, Spolstra was also an assistant coach for the Heat. His first impression of Haslem came from a free agent mini-camp held before the summer league that year. It had been a year since Haslem had been defeated, and a few months earlier, Haslem's performance had caught the attention of Heat-ball scout Chet Kamal. Coincidentally, NFL All-Star and winger Tony Gonzalez competed with the players during training camp, and it was this training game that the Heat coaching staff's eyes were firmly fixed on Haslem. "The toughness and hunger he showed in the game was far beyond normal expectations," Spoelstra said, "he wasn't like playing, it was more like fighting, it was too dangerous." We were like, 'This guy is a Miami Heat player. We can't just let him just leave the arena. Then the next day, the coaching staff's conversation became, 'We've got to get this guy to stop.' If he goes on like this, he will hurt others. ’”
Spolstra told the story in a tone of pride and awe: "For him, the bootcamp was like a cage fight. The idea of our coaching staff was, 'We want this guy, but sometimes we have to let him sit on the sidelines and rest for a while.' Because when he comes on the field, he has to lay his opponent down. Someone will be carried out in a body bag. ’”
Haslem spent most of the previous year in the eastern French town of Charon-sur-Saône, averaging 16.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game in games he played for local clubs. Despite a rather successful season, Haslem did not fare well. "I gave myself a night to blame myself," he said, "and I had a night of agony parties." That night, I sat on the back balcony, drank a bottle of Hennessy, and kept asking myself, 'Why am I here?' Obviously I did everything right. There were a couple of players who were selected and I didn't fall behind in my position with them. I really don't understand. So I set myself up for one night. ”
But even that night, Haslem's inner thoughts were quietly changing. "I also thought during the pain party, 'What can I do differently?' It's easy to blame the NBA and the coaching staff for being illiterate. It's also easy to console yourself with a mistake they made. But in the end, this self-consolation doesn't work. So to me, the little half-bottle of Hennessy in my stomach seems to be asking myself, 'What do I need to do?' ’”
According to my own introduction, during his time in the French league, Haslem has always insisted on working and resting according to the American time zone, in other words, he has always maintained the habit of going out day and night. The reason for sticking to this schedule is that Haslem wants to remind himself that he does not plan to spend the rest of his career in Europe. He also didn't like the local diet, so he ate only one turkey sandwich a day and occasionally went to McDonald's to beat the teeth. During his time in the French league, if there was no game schedule or rest needs, Haslem spent most of his time in a nearby gym, rather than indulging in life like Michael Pietrus and Boris Dior. At the end of a season, Haslem lost 50 pounds, as if he had been reborn. David Thorpe, a player development coach at the University of Central Florida, saw Haslem's thin figure and even thought he was seriously ill.
Haslem competed in the 2003 Summer League and worked tirelessly to secure a place for the Heat
After ending the French league, Thorpe began to prepare to help Haslem launch another attack on the NBA. Haslem was also trained with future NBA potential newcomers Kevin Martin and Josh Powell. Haslem gets up early in the morning to train, and after lunch and nap, he returns to the arena to get ready for the evening training. Haslem did not read the newspaper or watch television during that time, and he insisted on this arrangement day after day. "I didn't know what was going on all over the world," Haslem said, recalling those weeks.
Thorpe's request was simple: "Desperately grab me a rebound." And that was haslem's biggest hole in his time at the University of Florida, averaging just six rebounds per game in four years. Therefore, the two masters and apprentices have carried out a lot of training in order to improve the agility of the ball-free scramble outside the penalty area. In addition to rebounding, the duo will also practice 18-foot jump shots so that Haslem can open up space for others. "Rebounding is your stepping stone into the league," Thorpe told him, "but to get a big contract, you have to learn how to shoot." ”
The effect of this investment was immediate. He first became the Heat's rebounding champion in the Summer League in Orlando, and then in the Summer League in Boston, Haslem put on the Spurs jersey and was crowned the rebounding king again, while also helping the Spurs win all the victories. "When I played in the high school league," Coach Martin recalled, "he averaged six rebounds per game." At that time, he and I always argued about grabbing rebounds: go grab the board! But he just wouldn't listen. After going to college, he probably got 6.5 or 7 rebounds per game. He's really not very good at that. However, when the Heat decided to give him a chance, he became the team's rebounding king. He was such a person. He listened to the advice of others, and if things didn't go very well, he wouldn't have a face. He will only find a way to fix these problems. ”
Incidentally, haslem has since taken one step at a time and will eventually become the Heat's all-time rebounding champion. But in 2003, nothing caught the eye more than his performance in two summer league games. As Haslem helped the Spurs achieve a total victory, his performance piqued the Spurs' interest, and the Heat also felt the pressure from the other side, so they decided to take the lead. On August 6, local time, the Heat offered Haslem a guarantee contract, and he will receive a salary of $366,931 in the 2003-04 season. Six weeks before the Heat submitted their contract, they picked out a 6'4- point guard from Marquette University with a top-five pick.
In 2007, Haslem and Wade saluted the flag while playing the national anthem before the game
When they first arrived at the Heat, Haslem and Wade were both young fathers, and their mothers were also deeply plagued by drug addiction, and the two of them had to go through hardships to get out of the neighborhood where they had grown up, and witnessed the unexpected deaths of relatives and friends. So the two of them quickly developed a close connection. "We're like two little kids who have gone through all kinds of tribulations," Haslem says, "and the experiences of growing up are very similar." ”
In the summer of 2003, the two of them stuck together everywhere they went. In the morning, the two of them went for a run on the track and field, then to the Heat Training Gym for training, then to the strength room to lift the iron, then to play wild ball at the Alonzo-Monin Youth Activity Center in the upper town, and after playing the ball, they went out to eat together, and finally went back to participate in the evening exercises. Throughout the summer, such a schedule was staged almost every day. In addition, Miami is haslem's territory. "He took me around," Wade said, "and he knocked on the door of my neighborhood for me and introduced me to the right people." ”
In their first season together, the Heat would have a three-point shooting game after training to bet on the winner. Most of the team members will form random teams, but Wade and Haslem always choose each other as partners. They've never won a shooting game. "I've really never won," said former Heat coach Stan Van Gundy. Today, 16 years later, Wade specifically mentioned in an interview, "That's because we are both hits!" ”
According to team president Pat Riley, "The ultimate winner at that time was always Bob McAdoo. He's the strongest scorer in NBA history, and he's the last to laugh when shooting with these players. As long as he participates in the shooting game, he can win everyone's travel expenses. Sometimes when I go to an away game, [Heat trainer] Ron Karp will distribute travel expenses to everyone. When the envelope containing the money was delivered to UD, he would say, 'Just give it to McAdoo.' Then Wade would also say, 'Just give it to McAdoo.' ’”
Near the end of the year, after a training game, Van Gundy announced that the day's shooting game was "either no more or the stakes doubled." Only this time, Wade and Haslem won the entire prize money. After the game, Van Gundy said: "These two people said to each other that they have been waiting for the day when they will save money from their teammates all year. ”
"That's the fun part of this team," Riley said, "they'll play with Damon Jones, Eddie Jones and other players who are good at shooting long distances, and they lose almost every time." But the two of them enjoyed it. Because of this, they gradually cultivated a deep friendship. ”
Van Gundy, who served as Heat head coach in 2003-2006, recalls haslem and Wade's first season together. "The team is growing," he said, "and we started 0-7 first. Then the record came to 5-15. By March, we were 11 wins away from a 50% win rate. I think it should be 25-36. As a result, in the last 21 games of the season, we won 17 games. ”
"We were too young to know the magic of the swing," said Cuaron Butler, a striker who played for the Heat, "and the idea was, 'Okay, I think we should fight for a 20-game winning streak.'" 'We had a whole bunch of players on our team who were willing to fight and try to outperform everybody. ”
Pictured here is the 2005 Heat and Pistons Eastern Conference Finals, Haslem pulled up Wade
That year, whenever the training was over, Haslem would go straight to Riley. "He would come up to me and ask me, 'Coach, what do you want me to do?'" What do you want? I would say to him, 'Well, you're going to defend, you're going to grab the board, you're going to fight for every goal.' You are the enforcer of our team discipline. You are the leader of our team. I want you to be such a player. You need to practice your mid-range shots and be the best defender in the penalty area in the team. I want you to do all these things well. If you do, I'll arrange for you to get into the starting lineup. And he did! Every request I made, he fulfilled. ”
Of course, the gap between "fireside conversations" is sometimes interspersed with the infamous thermal body test. Butler remembers the scenes he and Haslem had sneaked out the first season, hoping they wouldn't have to see Riley's face. "At that time, the two of us were still stunned." Butler said.
Riley explains, "If you don't have a world-class body, then you can't achieve world-class achievements. So in response to this, we consider measuring body size with two world-wide data – weight and body fat percentage. It's not a measure I came up with out of thin air. There is a rigorous scientific basis for our measurements, taking into account a range of factors, such as changes over time, players' nutritional intake, and the relationship between each person's own weight and muscle content. ”
If the players don't reach the target weight, they'll be fined by the team. If they fail to meet the target several times in a row, they will be banned. "I used to like to take regular samples of a player's physical condition," Riley said, "because if you schedule a weigh-up every Monday, the guys will run to the sauna before weighing." I lost 7 to 8 pounds of weight, came back to a test to meet the standard, and immediately rebounded under the scale. So it's quite possible that a person who is usually 250 pounds is only 240 pounds on the scale. So I started sampling from time to time. For example, on a Friday or Wednesday, I would move the scales to the center of the court, and as soon as they were in the arena, I would say, 'Okay... Everyone lined up to get on the scales, let's see who is lying. We find this way a lot of fun. ”
Haslem can now laugh and laugh about the embarrassment of the year, but he was cautious at the time. "I wasn't paid a high salary," he said, "so I'm not going to spend my money on fines either." On the other hand, I have never been frightened by anyone else in my life. That's right, I've never been afraid of anyone. But Pat Riley... I'm still a little scared. The last thing I wanted to do was to him off. ”
Haslem was ultimately not fined or banned. Then-Heat general manager Randy Fend warned Haslem's agent that even if Haslem got his contract, the rookie might not get a chance to play in his first season. However, in the opening game of the new season, Haslem was given the opportunity to start the game. On All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles that year, Haslem followed the first-year team to the Rookie Challenge. By the end of the season, it was clear that Wade had shown his superstar style, and as for the teammate next to him, even if the original expectation was optimistic, Haslem's performance had far exceeded.
As mentioned above, the Heat made a big leap forward in the late part of the regular season and made it to the playoffs. In the first round of the playoffs, the Miami Heat faced the Charlotte Hornets led by Baron Davis, and the heat laughed to the end of the seven games. In the second round of the playoffs, they met the Indiana Pacers, the top seed in the East, and lost 6 games. No one would confuse the Heat of the year with the championship team two years later — Heat assistant coach Keith Askins simply called haslem and Brian Grant's starting frontcourt combination a "little committee" — but the energy that burst out of the players that year was enough to give the team a new look.
Then everything changed. In 2004, the Heat sent Lamar Odom, Butler, Grant and a first-round pick from the Los Angeles Lakers to Shaquille O'Neal. After the deal was completed, Coach Thorpe remembered him and Haslem driving outside for a spin. Halfway the coach asked UD if his relationship with Shaq was good. I don't know, Haslem told the coach, when we played each other last year, Shaq chattered like a because he didn't get a foul. I turned around and said, 'Shut up your stinky mouth, you're the biggest bastard on the field.' According to Haslem himself, Shaq was so shocked that he forgot to turn his lips.
In a 2004 game, Haslem and teammate O'Neal fought for rebounds
In a game shortly after the East Trip to Miami, the Sharks complained more about the penalty than ever before. "Big men," Haslem, 24, told him, "they don't give you whistles, do they?" That put everybody in the damn basket. ”
"After saying that," haslem said, "he (O'Neill) wanted to crush everybody into powder." ”
In Haslem's own words, "I, like the rest of the team, would hold our big men accountable for what they said and did." Not many people can do that, but I happen to be one of them. Sometimes I have to do my part while helping him get everything done on the defensive end. If the confrontation on the pitch is too intense, I will pull him aside to calm down. But such behavior is actually mutual. He will also make me responsible for my words and deeds. He and I are very compatible. He won't let us relax. I liked that about him. ”
This solves the biggest mystery of Haslem's heat time - how did a second-year loser make an MVP candidate regular, in addition to the most famous person on the planet, admire the five-body? In addition to Shaq and Wade, the Heat had a bunch of tough players such as Alonzo Morning, Anthony Walker, gary Payton and so on. But everyone felt that Haslem was as high as their status. "He gets the respect of other people all at once," Wade said, "and if someone can play like him, then that person can naturally get the respect of other people." In addition to his performance on the field, he spurred on his lifestyle off the field. He's just a tough guy. ”
"Be honest and speak truthfully," Riley said, "UD is such a person." If you watch the game regularly, you will see that some players may not be able to work and off the field, and you will recognize them at a glance. Haslem was never afraid of anyone. Whether it was Shaq, Mourning or Wade, or anyone else, he would not be afraid. If someone steals on the field and does not do his part well, he will point it out without mercy. ”
On the field, Haslem was ahead of the times. If he is born ten years later, his multi-faceted defensive end, his ability to open up the space on the field, and the elite level of ball quotient will become the big hero in the hearts of many nerd fans today. Perhaps his salary throughout his career will also double the actual $60 million. "He was the best defender in the team that year," Riley didn't skimp on his compliments to Haslem even with players like Shaq, "he was also a good scorer that year." He can also scramble for offensive rebounds. He was willing to do all kinds of dirty work. But at the same time, his ball quotient is very high. No matter what situation we encounter on the pitch, no matter what defensive strategy we sacrifice, he is our first choice. He will pick up the burden and directly target the scoring master in the same position, for which he will fight for his own life. ”
Pictured here in the 2006 Finals, Haslem defends Dirk Nowitzki
In 2006, the Heat reached the Finals for the first time in their history, and Haslem spent most of his time keeping an eye on Dirk Nowitzki. "Go around defending him," Riley said, "to fight him, to consume him, to make him feel uncomfortable." "Dirk is also a player ahead of the entire era. Recalling the original confrontation, Haslem shook his head repeatedly: "I have seen the video between him and the Spurs series, and I have seen how he ravaged other big forwards... I've never seen a big forward catch a three-pointer after bypassing double cover on the bottom line. ”
Haslem admits that he was apprehensive throughout the series: "Every time I come back to home in Miami, if I'm upset, my teammates remind me to notice that. During that time, I was afraid. It's not the kind of fear you think, or fear, fear. When I say I'm afraid, I'm afraid I won't be able to stand up when my teammates need me. That's probably the only thing I've worried about since I played. I've never worried about whether my shot is reasonable, whether this defensive action is not in place, whether this rebound should be grabbed. My only fear is that when my teammates need me, I won't be able to step up. ”
In the end, Haslem did it anyway. Although the Heat were at a disadvantage of 0-2 overall at one point, they achieved an earth-shattering reversal and eventually won the Finals. Although Nowitzki continued to perform heroically in the series, Haslem did his best to slow down the Germans, thus buying a breathing space for the Heat. Throughout the series, Wade averaged 34.7 points per game and won the MVP title of finals. Haslem's stats were mediocre (6.5 points, 6.2 rebounds per game), but in Game 6 of the Finals, he saved the team with three key jump shots in the fourth quarter. Haslem scored 17 points and 10 rebounds in the game, and he won his first championship after the game.
"Just thinking about it all makes people think about it," he said, "and I still remember a columnist for the miami local newspaper." He praised me profusely when I played in the high school league. I was also full of praise during the college league. But when I got to the Heat, his pen turned, 'Oh, he's still not good enough.' Shaq has never won a game with a 6'8" striker pair. 'I was furious after watching it, what?' [Shaq] wasn't likely to be paired with a 7-foot-long man like Travis Knight. With such people in place, it was almost as easy as I could destroy them. At that time, the newspaper column wrote this kind of. In fact, the root cause is that I was not drafted. The reason for that was that the Orlando Magic wouldn't even give me a chance to try out, even though I was the best player in the state at the time. In fact, the situation back then was like, you don't have to lose by taking one with me when you try out, not to mention that I am in Gainesville, so close. But they just wouldn't open the door to the training hall for me. So every time I look back, I have so many emotions. As a young father, your children are counting on you to feed. You have so much pressure on the pitch. The moment I win the championship, I can release all my emotions. I could finally pull out that thorn in my heart. ”
Pictured here is the 2011 Finals, where Haslem and LeBron James defend Jason Terry together
In the offseason before the Heat won their first championship in franchise history, Haslem turned down a big contract offered by the Cavaliers. Compared to the five-year, $20 million contract miami offered, haslem could earn $10 million more if he had chosen Cleveland. In June 2010, the Heat's Big Three, composed of LeBron James, Bosh and Wade, made their debut at the American Airlines Center, stunning the world. Haslem was sitting on the couch watching the live broadcast. "I'm sitting at home," he said, "and the thought is, wow, now we have another chance." But at the same time, you're going to be muttering, 'Okay, so where am I going?' ’”
At that time, Haslem was already a free agent in his thirties. Both the Mavericks and Nuggets reportedly offered Haslem about $34 million for a five-year period at the time. Meanwhile, the entire sports world has witnessed Miami use all of their salary space to sign three superstar players. "Not only that," Riley introduced, "we signed Mike Miller. In order to get him, we had to trade Michael Beasley away. After this operation, the team no longer has salary space. "So, a few days after the Big Three's welcome party, Haslem called Wade and told Wade, 'Brother, I love you, but I have to leave." I hung up the phone," Haslem said, "and got off the highway and headed downtown, ready to say the same thing to Pat in person: 'Coach, thank you for giving me the chance to play.' No one gave me that opportunity except you. I really liked everyone on the team. But I had to leave. ’”
Five minutes later, Haslem's then-agent, Henry Thomas (deceased), called to slow down Haslem and Riley's meeting. Thomas is also Wade's agent, and Wade is in an emergency meeting with his new teammates. Just a few hours later, the Heat Big Three agreed to give up part of their top-salary contracts to free up enough salary space for Haslem. Haslem eventually accepted a five-year, $20 million contract, a whopping $14 million less than the other teams offered, but he was satisfied. "Dwayne took less money," he said, "and LeBron took less money and Chris took less money." Everyone has made sacrifices for a common goal. ”
"Of course we want players like this," Wade told his new teammates, "but this player is something we have to take." In addition to this, Bosh also gave another reason: "We were all ready to sign contracts, and then suddenly realized, damn! Now it's just the five of us (with the contract). We had to find a way to form a team. ”
Speaking of Haslem's role in the Heat, Bosh explains it with an anecdote. "I firmly believe that to compete on the pitch is to do your best," he said, "and after the game, I can do anything for you, I can even help you take care of the kids, it's okay." But on the field? I just don't know you. If you fall on the field and you're wearing your opponent's clothes, I'm not going to come over and take the handle. But once I remembered it very clearly, I pulled my opponent up. I didn't think much of it at the time. ”
Bosh had only been with the Heat for a few weeks. "So it was halftime," he said, "UD was coming straight up to me." He said, 'Yo, Bosh, don't pull that guy.' Don't do it next time. ’”
In a 2014 match, Chris Bosh and Haslem high-fived each other
Bosh chuckled, "I didn't even know how to get back to him." He's one of those guys – he'll pay attention to your state, but not the crazy state of staring at you all the time. He will interrogate you. You listen to him and you think, 'I'll go, dude, you're right.' He has always been such a being. 'No, you have to do that. That's how you win. ’”
Given the way the team was built, LeBron's presence as the core of the team, and the advent of the new media era, the energy exuded by the Heat in those seasons reached an unprecedented height in NBA history. When a team is struggling, the team's emotions can be tight. At the beginning of the season, Riley called Wade, James and Bosh into the office and joked with them: "Hey, we're 9-8 now and will be more than 50% win-win. Good start! ”
"I've heard all sorts of rumors from the outside world," Riley now responds, "saying that we had a lot of in-team meetings when we were in a slump." At that time, a lot of internal information was disclosed, saying that some of our team members had done or did not do a good job. The players scolded the coach. Coach scolds players. But at the end of the day, all you have to do is let this team grow and eventually come together as a group. Our players have very, very strong personalities. So [the key to the problem] is to lower your dignity, accept the role positioning, and adapt to life in the NBA sphere. Here we have a successive rank. Sometimes sorting this rank can be sad, but you can't help it. LeBron was without a doubt the best player of the time. In a way, when Dwayne and Chris led the team alone before, they could also be on the same level as LeBron. So take the time to get the team to mature, take the time to let the players grow. The original locker room meeting was also filled with loud curses. Everyone was rude and scolded each other. But the end of the dispute is over. They will still walk out of the locker room and continue to play well. ”
None of the Heat never revealed the substance of these conversations, but they all acknowledged that Haslem was the backbone of these meetings. "He sets the tone in the locker room," Miller said, "whether you're right or wrong, if someone says something in the locker room, even UD himself thinks you're right, but as long as it's not good for the team," he'll correct you." ”
"You need players like Haslem," Riley said, "and you need players like Mike Miller, who may not be superstars, but they can always try to get their teammates together." Perhaps in the media reports, this team is difficult to control, the players look like they are separated, and such rumors will flow into the locker room. ”
"I can understand," Miller added, "that the whole world is staring at you." There were about five or six of us on the team, and we were used to playing the way we were supposed to play, and then the outside world would point fingers, 'Oh, he's not good enough, he's not doing that, he's not doing that.' When you win a championship trophy, all the doubts disappear immediately, but if the team doesn't do well, someone in the team needs to stand up and put the team on track. ”
According to Spollstra, there was a game where the Heat struggled quite hard, and during the timeout, Haslem couldn't help but interject. "I was getting ready to lay out the tactics," the coach said, "and he snapped [the tactic board] out of my hand and yelled, 'What tactics do you want at this time? ’”
At this point, Spoorstra smiled: "I looked around at everyone and said, 'Okay, that's it.' ’”
Throwing the tactical board aside, the chemistry between Haslem and several of his new teammates came naturally and warmly. In fact, Bosh has long been fond of Haslem. When they first met, Bosh was a high school student, and he was invited by the admissions team to visit the University of Florida, and it was Haslem and Matt Bonner who hosted him that weekend. As for LeBron, Riley said: "As long as this guy is a real contender, Judonicus will take him in." LeBron was probably the best player in the world, but he was also a man with a strong sense of victory. So UD and Dwayne can easily continue to be close brothers, and with the arrival of LeBron, the best partner becomes a threesome. They cannot be separated. ”
Haslem likened the Heat on the court to a bus. In his words, LeBron and Wade were the drivers of the car, "but if the oil and tires on the car weren't replaced, the bus wouldn't go anywhere." "Haslem's job is to change the oil for the bus.
During the 2012 playoffs, Bosh was forced to extend his suspension due to a muscle strain, and as a substitute for the Dragon King, Haslem took on Bosh's playing time. Following a 2011 Finals loss to the Lone Rangers, the Heat trailed the Pacers 1-2 in the second round of that year's playoffs. At this time, the outside world has been rumored that the Heat team is at a disadvantage both psychologically and physically. If the assault on the championship fails for the second consecutive year, this team is bound to erupt into a series of serious problems. "When you keep losing," Miller said, "we all know what the consequences are." ”
A subsequent event will leave a lasting mark on the history of the Heat. After the two teams reached a 2-2 draw, the series's physical confrontation reached an unprecedented height. In game five, Pacers Taylor Hansbrüll fouled Wade ferociously in the second quarter. Haslem had enough. "I was hit by an opponent in the previous game," he said, "and I had a couple of stitches." If my opponent hurts me, I will accept it like a grandfather. Because I think it's a piece of cake, I can accept it. There's nothing to say about that. But when I saw Dwayne (beaten), it was a little bit different. I noticed HansBruck high-fived with one of his teammates. I thought, 'Well, I'm so angry now.' If I had hit someone before, I would never have done a celebratory gesture. I never high-fived a teammate and said, 'Okay, I hit that guy.' ’”
Haslem got up from the bench with a scrub, and Spoorstra didn't even have time to tell him to sit back. Haslem recalled: "Spoo begged me, 'No...' and I responded, 'Spoo, don't stop me from this.' It's bound to happen. ’”
In the ensuing round, when Hansbruck gave up the opportunity to take an empty jumper and instead prepared to take the ball to the basket, Wade realized that something seemed to be happening. "UD is that kind of person," Wade said, "especially when he's with me." He will always protect me. He would say, 'Let me go, and you'll be yourself.' I'll deal with it, I'll deal with that person. ’”
After 60 seconds of fouling Wade, Hansbrüll collided with Haslem in mid-air, and after a fierce physical confrontation, Hansbruck slammed into the floor. Steve Kerr, who was also in charge of game commentary at TNT at the time, witnessed the scene and thought haslem should receive a second-degree malicious foul and be expelled from the game. Haslem was suspended by the league after the game and will miss Game 6 of the series.
No one on the Heat regretted it. "This is a turning point for us," Spoelstra said, "and I'm serious. In that series, opponents sensed that they might have a better hand than us in terms of physical confrontation and size. And UD stood up at this moment, as if to say"—Spoorstra punched the palm of the other hand—" "This advantage of yours doesn't exist against the Miami Heat. ’”
After Haslem's foul, the Heat defeated their opponents with an 86-58 attack wave and won the Battle of King's Mountain. 48 hours later, they won the series in Indiana. Haslem missed the team's elimination battle due to the suspension, but in the game of the day, Wade played a career masterpiece, cutting 41 points and 10 rebounds. After eliminating the opponent, the team took off from Indianapolis, and Wade publicly gave the match ball to Haslem. "These are all memories that we will never forget," Spoelstra said, "and in another twenty years, when we look back on these few championship journeys, we will definitely think back to these moments." ”
In the month since, the team first fought with the Celtics 7 games, the sixth game of the series, LeBron played a historic performance; then the Heat and thunder five games, don't look at the big score lead a lot, in fact, the glue of each game is far beyond the imagination of the family. Finally, the Heat won the championship as they wished. Doubts about the team have subsided, and the rumors of the deal have disappeared without a trace. Looking back at the Synchronizer series, Haslem misses neither that foul nor the ball he used in that game. The night before the knockout battle began, the team checked into the hotel, and Haslem went to Wade's room and delivered a book to the latter. "I won't tell you what that book is called," he said, "and it's a secret between the two of us." But he will always remember it. He endured a lot that year. I gave him the book and said to him, 'Hey, I read this book whenever I've had too much ordeal.' Read it too. ’”
"That's why Dwayne gave me the ball," he said, "and I don't think he did it because I helped him out with fouls." I think it should be that book. Sometimes in a key game like this, you need to keep your peace of mind. ”
Pictured in 2019, Haslem lectured his teammates before the game
Now, about a decade later, Haslem is the godfather of Wade's youngest daughter. He said Wade was like his own brother, and LeBron was one of his closest friends in the NBA. As long as the three of them were in the same city, they would have dinner together, look back on their experiences of fighting side by side, and tell some jokes within the team. Regardless of where the players drifted in their later careers, most of the Heat players of that year still maintained close contact. Riley said it was very different from when he coached the Los Angeles Lakers or even the first Heat. "In 2005, when everyone was on the iPhone," Riley said, "the whole world changed." With the rise of twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and many other social platforms, players are sending messages and pictures to each other all the time. The entire NBA became a big fraternity. If the players are fortunate enough to work together on a special team like these players – then the friendship will last forever. It is uninterrupted. ”
After our interview, Miller deliberately sent another message: "Please tell UD and tell him I love him!" He would have shook his head (when he heard me say that), and he hated me the most for saying these tender words to him. And when we relayed Miller's message, Haslem smiled and said, "I love him too." He should have given you a look at what voice message i sent him on his birthday. ”
Individually, Haslem's achievements today are more like his history of struggle in Miami than just his history of the Heat. Happily married, with three sons under his knees, and an estate spread across the city—several Starbucks, a pizza restaurant, two bakeries, a couple of Aunt Anne's pretzels counters, Subway's façade, and a restaurant he and Wade shared. In most of his industries, Haslem works with an outside company to offer jobs to people who can't pass background checks in traditional industries. In addition, the Haslem Children's Fund, which he founded, is dedicated to providing school uniforms, school supplies and off-campus curricula to local youth. In October, Haslem announced an investment in real estate that will create affordable homes in Miami's increasingly aristocratic Wynwood neighborhood.
For now, Haslem's focus on the business sector is just around the corner. Spoelstra stressed that haslem is so valuable in the Heat, and his "business start-up know-how" is also an important reason, so at the end of last season, the head coach publicly called for the veteran to play for another year. "Basically," Spollstra said, "he's going to sign a lifetime contract with our team." He should do the same. "Haslem today is no longer the starter of the championship team, and he is no longer a glue between superstars. Now, he spends an hour after each training session, specially training Adebayor's penalty area defense, improving Nunn's ability to break through, and urging the heat's young forward players to shoot every basket carefully, rather than lazing on the training ground.
Instead of praising Haslem's habits as a manifestation of heat culture in him, remember what he went through before entering the NBA. Dating back to Miami High School, Frank Martin kept the school's arena open day and night to avoid the youngsters. The daily training will not end if no one practices vomiting, and there will be disputes between the players, but when it comes to the field, everyone has to make sacrifices for victory. Such an environment can both torture people and cultivate extreme loyalty among players.
Understanding this history, you can understand why Haslem is 40 years old, can still maintain a body fat percentage of 6%, and can also help young people in Orlando to launch another championship trophy in team history. "I believe in culture," he said, "and in the past I've seen the efforts of my predecessors and seen them win. I also believe that this culture will be passed on from the older generation to the next. The people before me —Devin Davis, Steve Edwards, Brent Wright at Miami High School—that's what they did. I got to the Heat, and that's what the older generations did. Brian Grant and other older generations passed on the Heat culture, and Eddie Jones and Alonzo Mourning passed it on to me and Devine. These people are pushing us every day, both psychologically and physically, on and off the field. They want to make sure that this culture is passed on. ”
"We're actually doing a lot of things in private that the outside world doesn't know," said Derek Jones Jr., referring to Haslem's influence. He also protected me under his wing. He has a lot of industries. Just sitting next to him and talking to him and listening to his views on life has benefited me a lot. I'm still a lad, but I always have to find something else to do for myself besides basketball. Haslem was willing to take the time to come out and help me... I will always remember this kindness of his. ”
"He's seen things big and small," Adebayor said, "so just by listening to his story, listening to his experience with Wade, you can learn a lot." I learned from Wade how to be patient. As long as you catch the ball, you can control the situation on the field. And from UD, he wanted me to be more aggressive. Initially on the pitch, I was only willing to stay in the area where I was most comfortable. UD said, 'No. You have to keep others on guard against you all the time. Now I've done it, and that makes me very proud. I started to be the most aggressive person on the field and that worked for me. When we asked if we could give an example of Haslem intervening in himself, Adebayo laughed: "Just today." I gave up an empty shot, and he stared at me (in front of everyone) and said, 'Why don't you vote?' ’”
All of the above is like a tail end to Haslem's career, but this tail is different from anyone else in NBA history. How does a player become invincible? Haslem, who continues to fight in the playoffs, is the best proof of this. Whether or not he gets another championship ring at the end of the season, and whenever he chooses to retire, his experience is legendary for fans who have seen Haslem weigh a full 50 pounds at the University of Florida. And in Miami, his legend is much more than the story itself.
"Miami is my home," Haslem said, "and this is my city, my turf." There's Hispanics, there's Cubans, there's Dominicans, there's blacks. Everyone has to do their best every day to live. It's full of violence, and little kids try to play rugby to get out of that environment. Although people will feel scared, I can accept it. I hope to be a part of it with a positive mindset. The children here only know the world they see. I've been like this in the past. I never knew there was a completely different world out there. Before I entered the NBA, I hadn't even been to South Beach. So for me, I had the opportunity to be a role model for these kids. In the past, Miami had many good examples of playing rugby, but there were fewer in basketball. I don't just want to teach them to play basketball, I want to teach them to be champions, to be a successful boss, to be a good husband, a good father. I hope the kids here are aware of this. ”
"It took me a lot of time," he said, "to have that vision." I had to travel to Europe and do so many things to get back to Miami. ”
By Jackie MacMullan
Translator: Shay
Reviewed: asjkfj
Word count: 6689 words
Estimated reading time: 30 minutes