Udonis Haslem and Dwyane Wade both made their debuts in the NBA for the Miami Heat in the 2003-04 season. As the two bonded while staying at the world-renowned Mutiny hotel, a deep brotherhood was forged when the 6’8” forward made sure his fellow rookie avoided all tumultuous situations. One of which was potentially crossing paths with O.J. Simpson, an NFL star who turned into a wanted man.
Haslem made sure Wade fell into no trouble
While Wade may be best renowned for his sharing the court alongside teammates like Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Shaquille O’Neal, Haslem played the most games (834) besides him. Recounting the moment when they started looking for each other on an episode of ‘All The Smoke' podcast, UD described how he intervened to prevent the 2006 Finals MVP from exchanging any pleasantry with Simpson’s woman.
"Me and D-Wade was living in the Mutiny, and O.J.’s woman tried to holla at D-Wade," Haslem said . "Man, I told D-Wade, 'Man, I don't know, that's O.J.'s woman. I don't know if he did it or didn't do it, but we might have to handle him if he come over here playing. "
The former NFL MVP superstar turned from being one of the most popular athletes to becoming one of America’s most feared individuals after getting accused of murdering his ex-wife - Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman, both of whom were stabbed to death.
This incident was followed by a nationally televised police chase through the streets of LA that cemented O.J.’s notoriety. Haslem, recognizing any potential danger, was determined to keep his teammate out of harm’s way.
Related: "He was alienated from those guys" - Clyde Drexler named the Dream Team members who didn't want Isiah Thomas on the team
UD protected Wade on the court as well
On a different note, while some might consider Haslem fortunate to play alongside Wade, securing three championships in the process, the reality was quite different. In fact, the 13-time All-Star was fortunate to have a player like Haslem by his side. Udonis not only protected Dwyane off the court but was also ready to defend him on it, retaliating against those who got unnecessarily physical with the 6'4" guard.
A prime example of UD’s protective nature occurred when Indiana Pacers’ Tyler Hansbrough committed a hard foul on Flash. The Miami native immediately responded, getting back at Tyler on the very next play.
It's safe to say that both on and off the court, Haslem always had his teammate's back, ready to step in and protect him whenever a situation arose.
Related: “I don’t know how they get it back” - Udonis Haslem shares the story of when Dwyane Wade had his car and jewelry stolen
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