Jaime Jaquez Jr. explains why he immediately texted Udonis Haslem after being drafted by Heat
What’s one of the first things Jaime Jaquez Jr. did after being drafted by the Miami Heat last month? He showed how much he respects Udonis Haslem.
Haslem won’t be Jaquez’s Heat teammate. The 43-year-old Haslem just retired after 20 NBA seasons and is 21 years older than the 22-year-old Jaquez.
But Jaquez knew it was important to immediately reach out to Haslem after the Heat selected him with the 18th overall pick in this year’s draft.
“I know he’s the OG of the Miami Heat,” Jaquez said. “I felt it was only right that I reach out to him first and just let him know that I’m excited to be here and ready to work.”
So Jaquez sent a text message to Haslem following the draft, introducing himself to the Heat icon. Haslem, a Miami native, viewed it as a sign of respect.
“It was great,” Haslem said. “It shows that my impact is with the past, the present and the future. We had a great conversation.”
Jaquez grew up on the other side of the country in California. But he also grew up rooting for the Heat, so he didn’t need somebody to explain to him what Haslem represents to the city and organization.
“I’ve always known about him,” Jaquez said. “I’m a basketball fan, I was a Heat fan. I always loved the Lakers, but the Heat was always my No. 2 and I’ve just always known about him and his presence in the organization. Being a basketball fan, you know who he is.”
After spending his entire NBA career with the Heat, Haslem is only the third player to spend an entire NBA career lasting at least 20 seasons with one team. The others on that short list are Dirk Nowitzki (21 seasons with Dallas Mavericks) and Kobe Bryant (20 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers), and Haslem is the only one to do it in his hometown.
Undrafted out of Florida in 2002, Haslem played a role on each of the franchise’s three championship teams in 2006, 2012 and 2013 and is the Heat’s all-time leading rebounder. He’s the only undrafted player in NBA history to lead a franchise in total rebounds.
The text messages between Haslem and Jaquez continued throughout summer league, with Haslem saying during a recent WQAM interview that Jaquez “is definitely a culture guy,” and “I’m looking forward to being more involved and to continue the process with him.”
“He was like, ‘Excited to have you,’” Jaquez said of Haslem’s message to him. “I think we’re going to go get some lunch when I’m [In Miami] next time. I think he was busy when I was out there with my family. But we’re going to get lunch, I think, when I go back out there.”
Even in retirement, Haslem is busy. He’s busy keeping up with his wife, Faith, and three sons, Kedonis, Elijah, and Josiah while also having businesses to tend to throughout South Florida.
“I don’t have any time,” Haslem said when asked how his first month of retirement went. “There’s less time for me than there was when I played. I literally have been to Orlando for baseball, Georgia for basketball, Vegas for basketball, got a chance to catch a little summer league game. But there’s more hours put in to father duties than there are going to practice.”
But even in retirement, Haslem will always make time to serve as a mentor to those within the Heat’s locker room.
“I continue to stay connected to Orlando [Robinson], who had an amazing summer league,” Haslem said. “I continue to stay connected to [Jamal] Cain, who had a hell of a summer league, Niko (Nikola Jovic), who played well in the beginning [of summer league], all these guys. There’s a next generation and I just continue to build relationships and bank equity with those guys.”
Now, Jaquez is part of that list.
BAM’S CAMP
Heat center Bam Adebayo will hold his fifth annual youth basketball camp on Aug. 5 at SLAM! Miami. Adebayo will offer tips and hands-on instruction during the camp.
Campers will be grouped by age, with one group consisting of those from third grade to sixth grade and another group consisting of those from seventh grade to 12th grade.
To register, visit thebbbfoundation.org.
