Udonis Haslem had been the backbone of the Miami Heat for two decades. The 43-year-old decided to hang up his boots this year after playing for 20 seasons. He is often credited for changing the attitude of the team while he was there. Haslem’s legacy at the Heat franchise will be alive for a long time.

Although he was the “big bro” for every Heat member, Haslem too had his “welcome to the NBA” moment. However, his welcoming went a little too far as the Heat legend was almost scared for his life.

Udonis Haslem’s scary moment

The “Welcome to The NBA” moments are pretty common but make for interesting stories. Several athletes in the past have detailed their experience of getting the first taste of the league. While some crumble in the situation, most are brave enough to stand up for the challenge. Haslem falls in the latter category of athletes. The 3x NBA champion was the backbone of his franchise for so long, and the experience to execute something like that comes from his own challenges. Giving Haslem his first brutal showdown was a certain 258 lbs player who warned that the Heat star might go out on a stretcher.

Haslem was on All The Smoke show where he was asked about his “Welcome to The NBA Moment”. Immediately the 43-year-old took Derrick Coleman’s name. Coleman was a 6’10, 258 lbs giant on the hardwood and Haslem met him in the league during his last couple of years. Haslem said on the podcast, “DC fouled the sh*t outta me”. Shocked by the rough treatment, Haslem asked Coleman if he really wanted to hit him “that hard”. Coleman’s reply solidified his intentions in the mind of Haslem. The Philadelphia 76ers legend said, “Young fella, if I tried to hurt you. You would’ve been on a stretcher”.

After that fierce reply, there was nothing much for Haslem to do but accept that DC really was about his business.

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Udonis Haslem and the Heat Culture

Although there are some great clubs in the NBA, very few can match the culture and discipline of the Heat. The Miami franchise follows a strict chain of command where everyone knows their roles and their only job is to execute them. The biggest contributor to this tradition is said to be Haslem. Several past athletes, even the likes of Dwyane Wade have admitted that Haslem is the glue that holds the franchise together. Now that he is retired, it will be interesting to see the new generation keeping traditions alive.

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