Miami Heat has enjoyed an improbable run the likes of which may have never been seen before. After a Cinderella run through the Conference, Miami finds itself on the cusp of history. As they stand 3 games away from a championship, one man is at the center of it all.

Udonis Haslem has been a staple of the Miami Heat organization for 20 years now. A true vet, Haslem has gone through all the highs and lows of the NBA world. While respected by fans all over, Haslem also is a constant butt of jokes.

Udonis Haslem IS Heat Culture

The tough veteran locker room voice is one that every team needs and values. In the case of the Miami Heat, it has become their mantra. Either, it’s Jimmy Butler’s heroics. Or, Erik Spoelstra’s genius coaching.

An often overlooked part of this equation, however, has been the role players. While most teams go for star players, Miami invested in the unknown. And, the results are blindingly obvious. With a cast of undrafted players making up their rotation, this run has been incredibly perplexing.

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While some credit the training staff, Haslem believes himself to be the true essence of Heat Culture. As Haslem called out the disconnect between players and owners, he mentioned his own journey and experiences and how they help him build a culture with the younger players.

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While fans have agreed with his statement and most respect his role in cultivating the Heat franchise, they also love taking the mick out of him. After Miami’s nail-biting win in Game 2, the Heat shared a post on Instagram captioned, “Lead us Gabe! 3 more”?but it was UD that caught the eyes of many.

Fans uip UD’s “No-Shirt” look

Among the top comments on the post was a fan ribbing Haslem and him parading around shirtless in the locker room. “OG always got his shirt off like he played some minutes ??”.?

Another fan went to UD’s ‘incredible’ contribution, highlighting his bench warmer role. “bro led the game in gatorades handed out ???”

Some older fans remembered Haslem’s early days, commenting on his changing physique, “he was fat when he was younger man he always needs an excuse to flex his abs ya know ??”

Fans were quick to playfully jump to his defense, remembering his old age. “at this age you just sweat yelling ?”?

While the Heat stole home-court advantage in the series, a long road awaits before they can be crowned champions. And Haslem’s role is one of extreme importance.

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