Haslem expects Bosh to be participant at training camp
Heat forward Udonis Haslem said Tuesday he expects Chris Bosh to be an active participant in training camp, less than eight months after his second blood clot episode in a year.
“As far as timetable when he’s on the floor, I’m not sure about that,” Haslem said on the night he was inducted into the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Sports Hall of Champions at Marlins Park. “I haven’t really gotten into the medical part of it. I’m definitely expecting him to be at camp and to be participating. I’m not sure if it will be full contact or by himself or if he needs me to work extra with him or whatever the situation may be, but I’m expecting him to be there.
“Chris’ timetable is just a little bit different than everybody else, so we have to be mindful. We have to be conscious of the things that are important. So the thing that’s most important is that when Chris needs to be ready that he’s ready. So my timetable and everybody else’s timetable is just moving a little bit faster. I’m very aware of what’s going on.”
As The Herald has reported, the Heat is more open to allowing Bosh to play while taking blood thinners. Bosh’s wife has said she expects him to play this season.
Haslem said “it will be strange” without having new Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade alongside for the first time after 13 seasons together and “it’s going to be strange and it’s probably not going to hit until the first day of camp really starts.
“But we’ve prepared ourselves for this moment. Everything that has led up to the point, that we accomplished together, has prepared us to be successful with or without each other. He has strengthened my weaknesses and I’ve strengthened his weaknesses. We’re prepared to lead our different teams into a new era and to be successful.”
Haslem said he’s “looking forward to this because it’s a challenge. It’s easy to look at it and be disappointed about Dwyane leaving and be disappointed about all the new faces. I look at it as an opportunity to prove people wrong once again, an opportunity to prove I can lead this next group into the next generation, … an opportunity to prove I can… win another way.
“The season is going to be something you can’t really say. It’s going to be different for everybody. None of us has been in this situation before, including myself.”
Haslem said he’s optimistic about this team because “they’re hard workers. I tell people you give me workers and we’ve got a chance. You give me guys that don’t want to work and it doesn’t matter how talented they are. Listen, we have some pieces.”
He said the first achievement with this Heat team “is creating those relationships with one another. Those relationships that go beyond basketball. What do you like to do beyond basketball? Your wife? Your family? In order to be successful on the court, you need somewhat of a relationship off the court.
“The first thing we tried to do this summer is build those relationships off the floor. Worked together a lot. Had a lot of guys in the weight room. In those tough situations where you get fatigued, we push each other to those moments and understand we’ve got each other’s back and we stick together in those moments like that.”
Of being inducted into the Hall of Champions, Haslem said: “This is special. Huge, huge honor. I grew up watching Dan Marino, Michael Irvin. How can I not be excited? How can I not be happy about it?
“It’s an amazing accomplishment to me, an amazing honor. I’m humbled, blessed, fortunate and just thankful. Never in a million years did I think I would be right here, right now. But hard work, dedication, great coaching, great people around me, great family, great support has put me in a great situation.”
Besides Haslem, former University of Miami linebacker Jonathan Vilma and U.S. Women’s Soccer Team coach Jill Ellis were also inducted into the Great Miami Sports Hall of Champions.
This story was originally published September 13, 2016 at 7:29 PM with the headline "Haslem expects Bosh to be participant at training camp."