Udonis Haslem

Udonis Johneal Haslem (/juːˈdɒnɪs dʒɒˈniːl ˈhæzləm/ yoo-DON-iss jon-EEL HAZ-ləm; born June 9, 1980) is an American professional basketball executive and former player. He is the vice president of basketball development for the Miami Heat, where he spent his entire 20-year playing career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Haslem is one of only three players in NBA history to play at least 20 years with one team. He played college basketball for the Florida Gators, where he was a key member of four NCAA tournament teams. Haslem began his professional career in France with Chalon-sur-Saône and then signed with his hometown team, the Miami Heat, in 2003, leaving as the longest-tenured player in franchise history when he retired 20 years later. Haslem won three NBA championships in 2006, 2012, and 2013.

Haslem was born in Miami. His father, John, played college basketball for the Stetson Hatters from 1972 to 1974. His mother, Debra, was Puerto Rican. Haslem attended Wolfson High School in Jacksonville, Florida, then Miami Senior High School in Miami. He helped lead Miami High to state titles in 1997 and 1998 (the last two of three in a row), playing alongside another future NBA player, Steve Blake. The team was coached by UMass Amherst head coach Frank Martin.

However, an investigation by the Miami New Times revealed that Haslem, Blake, and several other players circumvented residency requirements. The New Times reported that while he claimed to live in Miami, Haslem lived in Miramar. His official school address was an efficiency apartment owned by a longtime Miami High booster, which was also a violation of Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) rules. As a result, Miami High was stripped of its 1998 title and ordered to forfeit its entire schedule.

Haslem accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Billy Donovan's Gators teams from 1998 to 2002 while majoring in leisure service management. As the Gators' starting center for four years, Haslem was part of Donovan's 1998 recruiting class that raised the national prominence of the Florida Gators basketball program and included future Miami Heat teammate Mike Miller. Haslem's sophomore season saw the team advance to the NCAA men's Division I basketball championship game before falling to the Michigan State Spartans 89–76. The Gators received NCAA tournament invitations four consecutive years during Haslem's college career—the first time in the program's history. During his tenure with Florida, Haslem averaged 13.7 points per game and 6.7 rebounds. He was named to the coaches' All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) team four times: as the third team in 1999 and 2000, and the first team in 2001 and 2002. Haslem also ranks third in team history in points scored (1,782) and tenth in rebounds (831). He was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 2012.

Haslem went undrafted in the 2002 NBA draft primarily due to his relative lack of size for a forward as he measured just 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) at the NBA pre-draft camp. Seattle SuperSonics coach Nate McMillan had promised to draft Haslem if he was still available in the second round, but the offer fell through. Haslem accepted an offer to join the Atlanta Hawks for training camp and made their roster for the Shaw's Pro Summer League. However, he was released by the Hawks before the start of the 2002–03 NBA season.

Haslem signed with Chalon-Sur-Saône of the French LNB Pro A. He arrived in France weighing nearly 300 pounds (140 kg). While in France, Haslem lost 50 pounds (23 kg) in eight months. He averaged 16.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game in his lone season with the team.

On August 6, 2003, Haslem signed with his hometown team, the Miami Heat. As a rookie, Haslem played in the Rookie Challenge during All-Star weekend, earned NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors, and helped the Heat reach the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

In 2004–05, Haslem started in all 80 games in which he appeared, averaging 10.9 points, a career-high 9.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 33.4 minutes per game. Haslem's .540 field goal percentage ranked fifth on the Heat's all-time single-season list then and fourth in the NBA. He appeared in Rookie Challenge for the second straight year, this time for the sophomore team.