Udonis Haslem still hoping to experience a Dolphins Super Bowl, optimistic about future
Growing up in Miami, Udonis Haslem remembers when he would get together with friends in Carol City and find things to climb just to catch a glimpse of Miami Dolphins home games on the stadium’s jumbotron.
All Haslem wanted was for the Dolphins to win a Super Bowl.
That was years ago before Haslem went on to become a standout basketball player at Miami High and then have a successful college basketball career at Florida. Now 17 seasons into his NBA career with his hometown Miami Heat, the 39-year-old Haslem is still waiting to experience a Dolphins Super Bowl championship.
“I’m trying, man. I’m fighting, bro,” said Haslem, who is reminded of the Dolphins’ 46-year Super Bowl championship drought with the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers set to face off in Super Bowl 54 at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. “I’m hoping that in my lifetime that I see my Hurricanes get back on top and I see my Dolphins get back to that level of playing in a Super Bowl.”
Haslem, who is the Heat’s all-time leading rebounder, is encouraged by the Dolphins’ finish to the season under first-year head coach Brian Flores. The Dolphins won five of their final nine games to finish with a 5-11 record after starting 0-7.
“I liked the way they finished the season,” Haslem said. “I think they’re heading in the right direction. We’ll see how the draft goes. I’m happy they didn’t tank. When people holler, ‘tank, tank, tank,’ I think it’s real easy to do that. I think they did the hard thing. They came out, they fought every week. Win or lose, they kept their spirit, they kept pushing, they pulled out some tough ones at the end. They showed some glimpses and some excitement for the next season.”
And despite the five wins, the Dolphins are still in the race for coveted quarterback prospect Tua Tagovailoa out of Alabama with the No. 5 pick in the April NFL draft. Tagovailoa is recovering from hip surgery. Haslem noted: “It still might work out. Hopefully, he’s healthy and it pays off.”
Whenever the Dolphins make it to their first Super Bowl since January 1985, Haslem can only imagine what South Florida will be like. Haslem was born in 1980, but he was too young to remember the Dolphins’ last two Super Bowl appearances in the seasons of 1982 and 1984.
Even after winning three NBA titles during his time with the Heat, Haslem knows a Dolphins Super Bowl will be different.
“With the Dolphins being around forever — not that the Heat is the new kids on the block, but it’s new,” Haslem admitted. “And I’m a Heat lifer. But you may have more Miami Dolphins fans just because of the history of the Dolphins. It would mean a tremendous amount to this city. Let’s not forget before anything, Florida was a football state.”
What would a Dolphins win in the Super Bowl feel like for Haslem?
“I might be on the field with my face painted,” he said with a laugh.
Haslem was brought in by the Dolphins to address the team at its Davie practice facility in 2017. That was when Adam Gase was the head coach.
Haslem hasn’t had a chance to meet Flores yet. But he’s open to sharing his wisdom with the Dolphins again soon.
“I haven’t had a chance to meet with coach Flores,” Haslem said. “He might not even know how big of a fan I am. But I might reach out to those guys just like I did a couple years ago during training camp where I watched practices, chop it up with the guys and the coaching staff. Talk a little bit about leadership and things like that.”
