Udonis Haslem and Dwyane Wade reminisce on getting their ‘a—s beat’ by Allen Iverson in 2003

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Dwyane Wade may be considered an NBA legend today, but there was a time many years ago when he was simply a wide-eyed rookie.

On social media, Wade and Udonis Haslem remembered the time when, as rookies, their Miami Heat faced off against Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers for the first time.

Tim Reynolds

Udonis Haslem and Dwyane Wade

 

The contest took place on Oct. 28, 2003 in Philly. In fact, it was the season opener of the 2003-04 NBA season.

The two Heat rookies didn’t do too badly in their league debut. Wade had 18 points and four assists, while Haslem grabbed eight rebounds.

However, Iverson, who by then was an established star with an MVP award under his belt, put up 26 points, 11 assists and five steals, and the Sixers won easily.

Before long, Wade became a full-fledged heavyweight of his own, as he would lead the Heat to their first-ever NBA championship just two seasons later.

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Robert is a native of Santa Monica, Calif. and a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara. He has been an avid NBA fan since he was a little kid in the mid '90s, and during that time he has lived through the Alonzo Mourning, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James era of Heat basketball. He feels strongly that the NBA and sports aren't just entertainment, but also a means for learning life lessons.