Udonis Haslem took losing personally whether he was on the court or just watching from the bench. Miami Heat assistant coach Eric Glass got a firsthand look at that side of UD during the 2013-14 season, when the team was chasing a three-peat.
With the Big 3 still intact, the Heat were championship contenders, but their veteran core was aging, rival teams were getting better, and players like Haslem were seeing their roles shrink. For the first time in his career, UD was no longer a regular part of the Heat's rotation that season.
Despite that, Haslem's intensity and passion remained the same. In fact, he was the most devastated player in the locker room whenever Miami suffered a tough loss.
Glass, then in his first season with the Heat as a video coordinator, would never forget the night Haslem lost it following an overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls. He still vividly recalls sitting at a small card table in the cramped visiting locker room at United Center, surrounded by laptops and water coolers as he prepared the game film for the coaching staff.
All of a sudden, Haslem walked in and went ballistic.
"He comes in there and f— picks one up and throws it against the wall," Glass recounted . "He kicks the other one [over]. There's ice, water, Powerade, Gatorade, all these things flying everywhere."
Glass did everything to avoid getting hurt. He formed what was essentially a human shield with anything he could grab as the enraged veteran power forward threw stuff all over the locker room.
As it turned out, Haslem had not played a single minute that night. But that was almost beside the point.
"I definitely f— up their locker room," Haslem said, remembering what he did.
For UD, that competitive edge never went away. Regardless of whether he logged any stats in the box score or not, his desire to compete remained the same.
"I hate to lose," he opened up. "I hate living in mediocrity. I always wanted to at least scratch the surface of winning. After that, overachieve if possible. I don't like to do as expected, because where I come from most people didn't expect much from me so I can't do what people expect."
As Haslem's role on the court became smaller, his value to the Heat became even more obvious in ways the stat sheet could never capture. He had gone from being a dependable starter to becoming one of Miami's main sources of toughness, energy and emotion. UD brought a presence that mattered just as much from the bench as it once had on the floor.
Glass' story was just another chapter in the story of how Haslem became the Heat's "OG." His statistical importance may have declined with age, but his presence never did.
UD held teammates accountable. He brought toughness to practices and understood Pat Riley's expectations. Perhaps, most importantly, he made sure every player on the roster bought into the Heat culture.
Haslem's admirable leadership and locker room presence did not go unnoticed. NBA legend Reggie Miller once said UD proved why championship teams still need veteran voices .
"For me, looking at the Heat and then winning championships: to have Udonis Haslem on that team, who have played a 100 career minutes out of those 18 years, but Pat Riley said, 'No, you sit your a** on that bench. You make sure that locker room is tight. If anyone takes out D-Wade, anyone takes out LeBron (then you settle matters).' You need that," Miller said. "You need that for a championship."
After 20 years of playing for Miami, Haslem became the longest-tenured player in Heat history. The Heat recognized what he meant to the organization by retiring the No. 40 in 2024.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Nov 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
