Miami Heat veteran big man Udonis Haslem explained why he is no longer a Miami Dolphins fan in an interview with the Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman.
“Probably not, probably not,” Haslem said of again wearing Dolphins colors. “But that’s fine. It has nothing to do with my love for the city. I mean, I still love the city of Miami.”
Haslem, who has always shown support for the city of Miami, explained how he couldn’t get past the allegations that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross was trying to get former head coach Brian Flores to purposely lose games during his tenure.
“I’ve wasted too many Sundays, man,” Haslem said. “And they losing on purpose? I take this to heart. This is personal. So if those allegations are true, I can’t move past that.”
Ross has denied the allegations in Flores’ racial discrimination lawsuit. Miami has struggled to stay relevant over the past decade, making the playoffs just one time dating back to the 2009 season.
“I love the Dolphins. I love that organization,” Haslem said. “But as an athlete who puts their heart and soul into the things I play, to hear that was very disturbing. And it’s hurtful to somebody who’s grown up watching that organization.
“So that’s where I’m at it, more hurt than anything, by those allegations.”
The past two seasons, Miami was close to making the playoffs under Flores. The Dolphins went 10-6 in the 2020 season, but their playoff hopes were dashed in Week 17 when they lost to the Buffalo Bills.
Last season, Miami started just 1-7 but went on to win seven straight games to get back in the playoff picture before ultimately falling short of a postseason berth.
While Haslem may not root for the Dolphins any longer, his allegiance in the NFL will likely stay in the state of Florida. The Heat veteran explained why he is leaning toward becoming a Jacksonville Jaguars fan going forward.
“Because they’re still a Florida team,” he said.
Haslem is a Heat legend and one of the most respected voices in all of the NBA. While he may be switching his football fandom, Haslem is surely focused on helping the Heat reach their potential this season and bringing another title back to Miami.
The Heat are currently 42-22 and hold the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
