There have been a lot of discussions regarding the lack of competitiveness and effort during the NBA All-Star Game earlier this year. But some former players believe the issue has leaked into regular season games as well. Retired Miami Heat big man Udonis Haslem is one of those outspoken about the league’s current struggle to get players to compete hard on the floor.
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The 20-year veteran aired out his complaints while hosting Dennis Smith Jr. on The OGs podcast, underlining that playing hard on the court is just as essential as any other trait in basketball.
“Playing hard is a skill. You look around the league and I watch games every night. I get frustrated because people just not playing hard,” Haslem told Smith Jr. after lauding him for playing hard always during his NBA stint.
Load management has been a prominent strategy by teams and players for years now, but the Heat legend at least expects the top talents in the world to give it their all when they are on the hardwood. Otherwise, fans would soon realize they are not watching top flight basketball as players are too busy avoiding injuries.
UD emphasized how top-tier skills and IQ don’t matter if the talent isn’t matched by an elite work ethic, saying, “It ain’t even about the Xs and Os, we ain’t even got that far yet. We have an effort conversation. So, before we can talk about Xs and Os, how can I get you to play hard?”
Today’s crop of players may be the most skilled group the NBA has ever seen. Yet most teams purposefully save their roster’s energy for what they deem to be “important” games, which has led to the rising trend of resting stars on back-to-backs. Players like Joel Embiid have even openly declared that they would not play back-to-back games to avoid injuries.
Haslem has a legitimate gripe with a mindset like this from modern players. The 44-year-old is one of the more qualified names to lambast current players’ alarming lack of effort. Haslem was notable for ranking among the league’s hardest-working players throughout his lengthy career, often doing the dirty work for contending Heat teams.
Udonis Haslem made a name for himself with his work ethic
“Heat Culture” has been a term used by the Miami side for years now, which emphasizes grit and physicality of the team. That culture would not have existed without Udonis Haslem, who was hard work personified despite averaging poor numbers. The undrafted big man provided elite rebounding and defensive intensity in whatever role Miami put him in, whether starting or off the bench.
Haslem’s impact on the Heat was so massive that the front office continued to reward him with a contract even after his best days were clearly past him. UD was mostly out of Miami’s rotation by the 2015-16 campaign, yet he stuck around as a player through the 2022-23 season because of his significant role as a locker room leader.
