It takes a special kind of player to play for the Miami Heat . With the franchise's emphasis on discipline and physical conditioning in what is known in NBA circles as "Heat culture," only the strongest and most dedicated athletes thrive in Miami's system.
More so, it takes extraordinary will and guts to undergo a workout personally supervised by renowned taskmaster Pat Riley and live to tell the tale. That was precisely what former Heat center Hassan Whiteside endured in his effort to land a spot on the team in 2014.
Whiteside's workout in front of Riley
Although the 7-foot center was drafted in the second round by Sacramento in the 2010 NBA Draft, his career was going nowhere—he played in a total of 19 games for the Kings before getting waived in 2012. Hassan then played in the D-League before heading overseas to play in leagues in Lebanon and China.
After trying out for the Memphis Grizzlies and getting cut, the former Marshall star tried his luck in Miami, which proved to be a turning point in his career, especially when Pat himself oversaw his workout.
"I worked out with Pat. Pat Riley personally came out on the court and worked me out—hardest workout of my life. The hardest workout of my life, like literally still to this day—the hardest workout of my life, still to this day," Whiteside told Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller on "The OGs" podcast.
The native of Gastonia, North Carolina, shared that Riles came straight from his office and didn't bother to change into sweats. With an expensive suit on and his hair slicked back, Riley put Whiteside through a grueling workout, during which the latter admitted he nearly passed out from exhaustion.
"I'm in there—I'm, like, breathing... like, I'm about to black out. I'm literally at the point where I'm about to black out before I stop this workout, man. And it wasn't skill—it was just full-court dunks," Hassan narrated.
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A test of will
U.D. and Miller chimed in, saying all Pat was trying to do was test Whiteside's willpower to see if the big man would break under the pressure of all the work he was being put through. Riley already knew Hassan had talent; he just wanted to see if he had the mental fortitude to back it up.
"He was like, 'Lick your hand and touch this can on the backboard.' Damn, I was like, 'I guess he wants to see how high I could jump.' I'm like, licking my hand, touching as high as I can on the backboard. Licking my hand, I'm like, 'I'm getting all kinds of germs from this backboard, but listen, we gotta get it,'" Whiteside added. "Bro, I had to do at least, no exaggeration, 120-something dunks."
Hassan's determination and hard work paid off, and he eventually signed a contract with the Heat. It didn't take long for Whiteside to establish himself as the franchise's main big man, registering a double-double of 11 points, ten rebounds, and five blocks in a win over the Brooklyn Nets. A week later, he went bonkers, tallying 23 points and 16 boards in a lopsided victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Related: When Pat Riley put Tim Hardaway in his place: "You just mad cause I took your raggedy-a*s out the game"
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