Having young players on the roster with fresh legs who can go out and play 20+ minutes is something every coach looks for. However, coaches may need to include veterans in the locker room. Here is Vince Carter using Udonis Haslem as an example of why veteran presence is important in a team.
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Voted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, former NBA All-Star Vince Carter recently sat down with Taylor Rooks for an exclusive interview. While discussing his career, Carter addressed the importance of veteran presence, using Udonis Haslem as an example.
“I think now you get more opportunity, more young guys coming in which can push the veteran out. But some teams, some coaches understand or some organizations understand the importance of a vet and their voice. Like Udonis Haslem who he was around, it doesn’t get any better than that.”
“You can say what you want, this man has championship rings, he’s seen it all, he understands. So, his voice, and he’s willing to use his voice, it doesn’t get any better than that. So, that’s why I feel having veterans in your locker room is paramount with the young stars we have today.”
Vince Carter touched upon something a few NBA franchises suffered from during this postseason. Carter used the example of the Indiana Pacers who are a fairly young team but do not have much veteran presence in the locker room.
The same can be said for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who had one of their best seasons in recent history. The Thunder are a team full of young prospects who will become stars in the league.
However, the team barely had any players that could be categorized as veterans on the roster. A vet guides a young player into the league, giving his tidbits from his playing days, what to expect, and where to go.
This is something Carter was told during his playing days by another veteran as well. The importance of having veterans in the locker room to keep the peace and the fire, while also shaping young players into the stars of tomorrow.
CP3 talks about Udonis Haslem’s importance
Vince Carter isn’t the only one who values the importance of veterans and their presence in the locker room. The 12-time All-Star spoke highly of Udonis Haslem as well, when talking about veteran presence and importance.
“Young guys need vets. You need somebody like UD showing up every day and practice at 11. He probably in the gym, 8-8:30 every day, right? To motivate guys, to push guys. So, that’s important.”
Haslem may have been a benchwarmer with the Miami Heat in the latter half of his career, but he was credited with keeping peace in the team’s locker room, keeping players from going at each other, and being a voice that is respected by everyone in the franchise.
