Heat to retire number 40 of Udonis Haslem on January 19

According to Ameer Tyree of CBS Sports on Friday, the Miami Heat will retire the number 40 jersey of Udonis Haslem of Miami, Florida. The veteran power forward and center was with the Heat for two decades from 2003 to 2023. The ceremony will take place on January 19 when the Heat host the Atlanta Hawks at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.

In 879 games, Haslem averaged 7.5 points per game, 6.6 rebounds per game, and 0.8 assists per game, along with a field goal percentage of .489, three-point percentage of .127 and free throw percentage of .756. In four seasons, Haslem averaged into the double digits in points per game. He had 10.9 points per game in 2004-05, 10.7 points per game in 2006-07, 12 points per game in 2007-08, and 10.6 points per game in 2008-09.

Haslem hâd a career-high 28 points in a game twice, with both games coming for the Heat against the New Jersey Nets. The first time came in a 113-106 Heat win on November 10, 2006, and the second time coming in an 81-80 Heat win over the Nets on November 14, 2009.

Twice Haslem had a career-high 18 rebounds in a game. The first time came in a 93-91 Heat loss to the Indiana Pacers on February 23, 2005, and the second time came in an 87-74 Heat win over the Milwaukee Bucks on March 26, 2010.

Also while with the Heat, Haslem won three NBA Finals. He was part of the franchise when they won in 2006 in six games over the Dallas Mavericks, in 2012 in five games over the Oklahoma City Thunder and in 2013 in seven games over the San Antonio Spurs. In 149 playoff games, Haslem averaged 5.6 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game.

Haslem becomes the seventh Heat player to have his number retired. He follows Michael Jordan of New York City, New York (number 23 in 2003), Alonzo Mourning of Chesapeake, Virginia (number 33 in 2009), Tim Hardaway of Chicago, Illinois (number 10 in 2009), Shaquille O’Neal of Newark New Jersey (number 32 in 2016), Chris Bosh of Dallas, Texas (number one in 2019), and Dwyane Wade (number 20 in 2020). The Jordan retirement ceremony was noteworthy because Jordan never played for the Heat.

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