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Bam Adebayo and the Miami Heat paid their respects to Bill Russell’s No. 6 jersey in August 2022. The legendary Boston Celtics player died on July 31, and the NBA honored his life and achievements with a league-wide jersey retirement. Russell joined the ranks of former Heat players Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Hardaway, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade in Miami’s rafters.
The league’s decision was accepted with respect and even excitement. Russell’s contribution went beyond the basketball court. He was a larger-than-life figure that even non-hoops fans wanted to do their part in honoring the great man.
On “The Playmaker OGs” podcast, Bam Adebayo recounted a somewhat shocking incident on the day Bill Russell’s jersey went up the Heat rafters:
“We playing Boston, so you know his [Haslem] feel on that. So dog, we in the huddle. Cap came in here and gave his pregame speech and you know they retired Bill Russell’s jersey for everybody in the league. They got No. 6 in our rafters.
"And he ended his pregame speech, ‘F**k Bill Russell too!’ I said, bro, this man dead, OG!"
Udonis Haslem explained why he said what he said:
"Tell me when you gonna see a Miami Heat jersey hanging in Boston. I love Bill [Russell]. No disrespect to Bill. I love you. He just caught a stray.
"Will you ever see a Miami Heat jersey hanging in Boston’s rafters? … Why the f**k he got to hang in here. The things that come out of them people mouth when we playing there?"
Bam Adebayo responded that Bill Russell caught strays, and yet the man was already “six feet under.” Miami’s All-Star center added that the iconic Celtic had to be respected in every way possible, particularly with what he had to go through to play in the NBA.
Haslem was part of several Miami Heat teams that battled the Boston Celtics in the playoffs. There was no love lost between those teams every time they met. That bad blood apparently carried over even to the dead, whom the NBA wanted to honor.
Bam Adebayo will soon see Udonis Haslem’s No. 40 in Miami’s rafters
A week ago, the Miami Heat announced that they would be retiring Udonis Haslem’s No. 40 jersey on January 19, 2024. He will be the sixth Heat player to have his jersey retired by the team.
Heat president Pat Riley had this to say about the upcoming event:
“It’s about a great legacy, a Thank You moment that has been earned over 20 years of being an incredible championship player and most importantly, the best leader. He’s going to have his day and I can’t wait to see his jersey hang in the rafters.”
Udonis Haslem played his entire 20-year career in the NBA with the Miami Heat. He and Bam Adebayo were teammates for six seasons. Adebayo expressed his excitement for Haslem and how honored he would be to be part of the event.
Guess the Lakers players!
