Source: Matthew Stockman / Getty / Udonis Haslem
Miami Heat’s legendary enforcer Udonis Haslem shook the sports table with comments about the late Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell.
Udonis Haslem has never been one to bite his tongue about anyone or anything, so his latest comments shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.
On a recent episode of The OG’s podcast, Haslem’s former teammate, center Bam Adebayo, shared a story about a 2022 pregame speech Haslem gave before the Heat took on the Celtics where he expressed his full disdain for his Eastern Conference rival.
Per NBC Sports Boston:
“We playing Boston, so you know his feelings,” Adebayo said. “So we’re in the huddle. Cap (Haslem) come in there, he gave his pregame speech, and you know they retired Bill Russell’s jersey for everybody in the league. So they got 6 in our rafters. And he ends his pregame speech like, ‘F— Bill Russell, too.’ I said, ‘This man dead, OG!”
Haslem tried to explain his stance, explaining he meant no disrespect, noting he was more upset about the fact a Russell’s Boston Celtics jersey was hanging in the Kaseya Center’s rafters, an honor Haslam says will never be given to a Heat player.
The NBA paid respect to Russell by retiring his jersey across the league following his passing in July 2022. LeBron James switched his number from 6 to 23 to honor the legendary big man.
“Tell me when you’re going to see a Miami Heat jersey hanging in Boston,” Haslem said. “I had to repent that, I love Bill. No disrespect to Bill,” Haslem stated. “He just caught that stray. Respect to Bill Russell.”
He continued, “The s— that comes out of people’s mouths to us when we playing there (in Boston)? I might not take back what I said, now that I think about it.”
Udonis Haslem on his hate for the Celtics
“I like Tatum, brown, but them old Mfers KG and Paul, I don’t f*ck with yall”
“If I see yall in the grocery store its on, it can be aisle 7/11 around the cheese dip, all of its getting flipped over”
That’s my captain! pic.twitter.com/CC89hULHmh
— Emo Jimmy (@WheelerJaylen) December 27, 2023
As you can imagine, the NBA X, formerly known as NBA Twiter, was not feeling his comments, mainly because he didn’t have the same smoke for Michael Jordan’s jersey hanging up in the Kaseya Center’s rafters.
Boston Celtic all-star Jaylen Brown liked a tweet bringing that fact up.
MJ aint play a single game for da Heat and them glazers retired his jersey not a single peep about it from UD but the civil rights activist who passed away u mad about? LMAO https://t.co/t0ZSIGRgti
— ً (@FanMahome) December 27, 2023
Interesting.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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Photo: Matthew Stockman / Getty
The post X Is Clowns Udonis Haslem After Disrespectful ‘F*** Bill Russell’ Comment By Labeling Him An Overpaid Cheerleader appeared first on Black America Web.