David Fizdale said the Big 3 Heat loved being the most hated team in sports: "Y'all might even be cheering for us by the end of it"
In the summer of 2010, the NBA was turned upside down when three of the league's best players, LeBron James , Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh , joined forces to play on the same team.
And just like that, the Miami Heat went from being a lovable loser (they lost in the first round of the playoffs in three of their last four seasons before the Big 3 era) to the most reviled team in all of professional sports.
They weren't hated only because they were a spectacular team that stacked the odds against every other squad in the league, but also because confidence oozed out of their odds, especially when they predicted they would win multiple championships. The Heat were an instant juggernaut and the rest of the NBA was playing catch-up.
According to Heat assistant coach David Fizdale , as hated as they were during that period, they loved every second of it, embracing the challenge of silencing all the naysayers, especially on the road.
Fun as hell
It's well known that the Heat didn't exactly set the NBA on fire at the start of the 2010-11 season. They held a mediocre 9-8 record after their first 17 games. However, once they embraced the type of team they were rather than trying to change the narrative, they became a juggernaut and won 21 of their next 22 games.
And instead of sulking in the face of all the hate being thrown their way, Fizdale said they began to embrace it, which made the experience more enriching for everyone.
"That s—t was fun as hell!" Fizdale recalled . "They hated us. Y'all might even be cheering for us by the end of it. That's the attitude we had."
The irony of it all was that, despite being loathed by every fan and team outside Miami, the Heat were a box-office hit. LeBron and D-Wade put on a show every night, while CB played the perfect third wheel. It was must-see TV, even for those who wanted to see them fail.
UD emboldened the group
Having fans cheer against a team is nothing new in every professional sport. However, what the Heat received during their first season together was beyond anything they could have imagined.
Everywhere they went, they were met with boos, insults and signs mocking the "Big Three." But instead of letting it get to them, the Heat embraced the hate and used it as motivation. Fizdale credited one player in particular for helping to keep the team focused and united: Udonis Haslem .
"Udonis Haslem embodied that. He said, 'I don't want men in my locker room.' Everybody looked at him like, what? He said, 'I don't want two feet in. I want dogs. Four paws in,'" Fizdale shared. "When he said that, I got goosebumps. I was like, 'I got four paws. Let's go.' I'll fight with you. I'll nip at ankles. Whatever you need me to do."
"When he said that, every dude in the room felt it. Juwan Howard was like, 'Oh, for sure. I'm a German Shepherd. Let's go!'" he continued.
While the Big 3's first season together ended in a heartbreaking NBA Finals defeat to the Dallas Mavericks , they regrouped and won it all in 2012 and 2013, proving that all the hate they endured was all worth it in the end.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Mar 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the Teams section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
