Meaningful minutes on the court have been the exception for years for Udonis Haslem. In 2020-21, there were just three.
But as the Heat approach Saturday’s conclusion of their three-game western swing with a game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden1 Center, this justifiably already stands among the most meaningful NBA weeks for the Miami Heat captain.
By playing the final 2:16 of Wednesday night’s victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, Haslem officially made it 20 NBA seasons, all with the Heat.
And fulfilled the desire of his late father to have his son go two full decades in a career solely with one team, something only previously done by Kobe Bryant with the Los Angeles Lakers and Dirk Nowitzki with the Dallas Mavericks.
Johnnie Haslem passed away in August 2021 at age 70, but father was in son’s thoughts as the 6-foot-8 veteran Haslem took the court at the Moda Center.
“There was a moment when I was getting ready to go in, like, ‘OK, this is it. This will solidify the 20th season,’ " Haslem, 42, said.
The emotions continued to flow afterward in the locker room.
“And all of the guys when I came off the court, when we got in the locker room, they congratulated me for actually being solidified in that moment,” he said. “So the guys kind of knew about it. I’m still processing everything, but they were on top of it.”
This time no wait until the final week of the season, as was the case with that sole 2020-21 appearance.
“It was cool just to go ahead and get it out of the way,” he said of Wednesday’s moment, then sitting out Thursday night’s 123-110 loss to the Golden State Warriors.
The reality is that with backup center Dewayne Dedmon dealing with plantar fasciitis in his left foot, with second-year center Omer Yurtseven away from the team due to an ankle impingement, and with rookie Nikola Jovic raw and foul prone, calls to action from coach Erik Spoelstra could wind up being more than sentimental.
“I’m always ready, man. Spo knows that,” said Haslem, who went undrafted out of Florida in 2002 and spent a year in France before joining the Heat as a rookie in 2003. “Whenever he needs me, just like last year, bodies, long season, he’ll give me the heads up in shootaround or that morning and I’ll prepare.”
So yes, there is a nod from Spoelstra about an older body needing a bit more of a build up to meaningful minutes.
“Obviously the minutes where he needs me or he lets me know in shootaround, ‘Be ready tonight,’ those are the minutes that I’ll tap into more,” Haslem said. “But every minute at this point counts.
“Everything is special. This is 20 seasons. This is something that not very many people do. So I’m going to savor all these memories.”
While still providing what he believes is an essential contribution even when not on the court.
In that regard, Golden State coach Steve Kerr said ahead of Thursday night’s game against the Heat at Chase Center that he believes there is a place for mentors such as Haslem or what he has in 38-year-old Andre Iguodala in the Warriors locker room.
“Internal leadership is huge for every team,” Kerr said when asked about Haslem and Iguodala in particular. “And by internal, I mean within the roster, within the locker room. Coaches can only do so much from our chair and where we’re coming from. But if a teammate is telling you something, as a young player it’s much more meaningful.
“You need that internal leadership, It’s a big thing.”
So 20 seasons it is for Haslem, no matter what comes next.
Promise fulfilled.
Two decades that have separated him from the pack even beyond his three NBA championships.
“Like I said, when I had that time with my dad, and I had that time with my mom,” he said of his deceased parents during a quiet moment in the locker room, “there’s going to come a point where all you have is your memories. There’s nothing else, no money, nothing.
“So you create ‘em and you hold on to ‘em.”
