NBA: Heat sign Udonis Haslem, but this time as vice president

FILE–Udonis Haslem #40 of the Miami Heat warms up prior to Game Two of the 2023 NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on June 04, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP

MIAMI — Udonis Haslem is back with the Miami Heat — this time, as an executive.

The long-awaited move was completed Tuesday, when Haslem was hired as Miami’s new vice president of basketball development. It comes five months after his 20-year playing career with the Heat ended, the last 16 of those as a team captain.

Haslem is one of two players to play for all three of Miami’s NBA title teams, with Dwyane Wade being the other. Haslem had long spoken of joining the Heat front office or ownership group after retirement, and he had been at some practices in recent weeks.

OG is now a VP! UD has joined the front office as Vice President, Basketball Development – responsibilities including being a resource to the coaching staff, mentoring both HEAT & Skyforce players as well as representing the organization in the community & in business endeavors. pic.twitter.com/yt7qEJ5TRn

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) November 7, 2023

Haslem — a Miami native and the franchise’s all-time rebounding leader — was the NBA’s oldest active player at 43 when he retired after last season. The three-time champion was the third player to spend a two-decade career with one franchise, joining Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant.

He also became the oldest player to appear in an NBA Finals game, doing so two days before his 43rd birthday when the Heat played the Nuggets in June.

Among his new Heat duties: working with the coaching staff, mentoring both Heat players and those assigned to the team’s G League affiliate in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and representing the organization in the community.