Former Miami Heat big man Udonis Haslem has made a major move in his post-NBA career, becoming the owner of the Rebote Renegades from the World Jai-Alai League.
Jai-alai is a sport that is much different than basketball, but it is very fast-paced. It involves bouncing a ball off a walled-in space and getting it to high speeds with a handheld wicker cesta.
The league’s mission is to “reignite the same fervor for the amazing sport of jai-alai by modernizing gameplay, capitalizing on the exploding international sports wagering market, and delivering the sport through social media to a new generation of fans.”
This seems like a great new chapter for Haslem, and he shared an excited message on his Instagram.
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A three-time NBA champion who played his entire career with the Miami Heat, Haslem is one of the most respected figures in the franchise’s history. He played his final season with the Heat in the 2022-23 campaign.
Even though Haslem was no longer an impact player in the rotation, his wisdom and guidance were crucial to Miami’s success over the past few seasons. He helped the Heat reach the NBA Finals in the 2022-23 season.
For his career, Haslem averaged 7.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 0.3 blocks per game while shooting 48.9 percent from the field. This past season, he appeared in seven games for the Heat, making one start.
Now, Haslem is remaining in sports but taking his talents to a front office role. This could be just a stepping stone for Haslem potentially joining an ownership group in the NBA since he has so much experience in the league.
Haslem’s journey to the NBA wasn’t the same as many players, as he went undrafted out of the University of Florida and spent the 2002-03 season playing overseas in France before joining the Heat for the 2003-04 season.
That resilience helped him carve out a successful NBA career, and he can now use that to inspire his new team.
