As he recently explained to Andscape, Udonis Haslem considers himself to be the very definition of “Heat Culture”. It must be said that “UD” is part of the furniture. Arrived in Miami in 2003, as a player from the end of the bench, he made his place in the rotation, as a holder, alongside another rookie named Dwyane Wade. He will retire twenty seasons later, with seven Finals on the clock and at least three champion rings.
But before receiving the nickname “Mister Miami”, Udonis Haslem had to go through complicated stages. After a fine college career in Florida, he was not drafted in 2002. The NBA franchises found him too small (1m98) and too heavy (140 kg) to be able to play in the league. He still participated in the Summer League with Atlanta, before getting cut before the start of the season.
He then bounced back to Pro A, near Chalon-sur-Saône, then coached by Greg Beugnot. The culture shock was great but Udonis Haslem already had the strength of character that made him so essential in Miami.
“I gave myself an evening to complain. An evening with a bottle of cognac » he told us before the Heat practice in the Ball Arena on Saturday. “The next day I got to work and I never looked back…”
“To tell you, I even stayed on the American time zone when I was in France. I slept all day and was up all night”
We then asked him if he remembered his mentality when he landed in a town of 45,000 inhabitants in Burgundy.
“Yes, of course I remember. My mentality was to tell myself that it was just a stoppage that was going to help me get to my goal, which was the NBA. At no time did I think I was going to stay in France or Europe for the rest of my career.” he explains to us before reminding us of a detail worthy of a Hollywood film. “To tell you, I even stayed on the American time zone when I was in France. I slept all day and was up all night. I had really conditioned my mind to think that it was just a detour, and that I was going to come back to the United States after one season. »
To achieve his goal, Udonis Haslem went to the coals and built a work ethic and willpower that followed him throughout his career.
“I haven’t complained once. I went on a diet. I was strapping my own ankles. Nothing could deflect me from my goal. »
Élan Chalon will not have a memorable season (11th in Pro A, 11 wins – 19 losses), but it will be a pivotal one for Udonis Haslem. His diet caused him to lose 23 kilos and he finished as his team’s top scorer and rebounder, and second best rebounder in the championship.
The rest of the story is known. “I remember when I did my trial to sign in Miami” he tells us with a big smile. “I entered the room, there were 50 players, and they were going to keep only one! »
“Heat Culture”, made in Chalon.
Interview in Denver.
| Udonis Haslem | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2003-04 | MIA | 75 | 24 | 45.9 | 0.0 | 76.5 | 2.5 | 3.8 | 6.3 | 0.7 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 7.3 |
| 2004-05 | MIA | 80 | 33 | 54.0 | 0.0 | 79.1 | 3.0 | 6.1 | 9.1 | 1.4 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 10.9 |
| 2005-06 | MIA | 81 | 31 | 50.8 | 0.0 | 78.9 | 2.1 | 5.8 | 7.8 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 9.4 |
| 2006-07 | MIA | 79 | 31 | 49.2 | 0.0 | 68.0 | 2.4 | 5.9 | 8.3 | 1.2 | 3.0 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 10.7 |
| 2007-08 | MIA | 49 | 37 | 46.7 | 0.0 | 81.0 | 2.2 | 6.9 | 9.0 | 1.4 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 12.0 |
| 2008-09 | MIA | 75 | 34 | 51.8 | 0.0 | 75.3 | 2.3 | 6.0 | 8.2 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 10.6 |
| 2009-10 | MIA | 78 | 28 | 49.4 | 0.0 | 76.2 | 2.1 | 5.9 | 8.1 | 0.7 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 9.9 |
| 2010-11 | MIA | 13 | 27 | 51.2 | 0.0 | 80.0 | 2.2 | 5.9 | 8.2 | 0.5 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 8.0 |
| 2011-12 | MIA | 64 | 25 | 42.3 | 0.0 | 81.4 | 1.8 | 5.5 | 7.3 | 0.7 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 6.0 |
| 2012-13 | MIA | 75 | 19 | 51.4 | 0.0 | 71.1 | 1.3 | 4.1 | 5.4 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 3.9 |
| 2013-14 | MIA | 46 | 14 | 50.7 | 0.0 | 56.8 | 0.9 | 2.9 | 3.8 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 3.8 |
| 2014-15 | MIA | 62 | 16 | 44.8 | 20.0 | 70.3 | 1.2 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 4.2 |
| 2015-16 | MIA | 37 | 7 | 37.7 | 11.1 | 75.0 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.6 |
| 2016-17 | MIA | 16 | 8 | 47.8 | 0.0 | 60.0 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.9 |
| 2017-18 | MIA | 14 | 5 | 20.0 | 12.5 | 50.0 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.6 |
| 2018-19 | MIA | 10 | 7 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 75.0 | 0.3 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2.5 |
| 2019-20 | MIA | 4 | 11 | 36.4 | 33.3 | 75.0 | 0.3 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 3.0 |
| 2020-21 | MIA | 1 | 3 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 |
| 2021-22 | MIA | 13 | 6 | 45.2 | 25.0 | 100.0 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 2.5 |
| 2022-23 | MIA | 7 | 10 | 34.5 | 33.3 | 80.0 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 3.9 |
| Total | 879 | 25 | 48.9 | 12.7 | 75.6 | 1.8 | 4.8 | 6.6 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 7.5 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
