Udonis Haslem announced at his basketball camp in Miami on Sunday that he will be returning to the Miami Heat to complete his 20th season in the NBA. The 42-year-old player signed a one-year contract extension with Miami for $2.9 million.
“I have decided to follow through with what me and my father had talked about, and I will finish what I started and I will play 20 years,” Haslem stated in front of a crowd at Miami High, his alma mater. Offered the deal by Miami two months ago, Haslem decided to take some time to debate whether or not to retire from the sport.
Haslem will become the third player ever to feature in 20 NBA seasons for a single franchise, joining Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks. A three-time NBA Champion, Haslem is the Heat’s all-time leader in rebounds. Haslem is also the oldest player overall to have appeared in each of the last two NBA seasons.
Last season, Haslem played 13 games for the Heat, averaging 2.5 points and 1.9 rebounds. Over his 19 seasons in the NBA, Haslem has averaged 7.5 points and 6.6 rebounds.
