MIAMI, August 2 The Miami HEAT announced today that they have re-signed free agent forward Udonis Haslem. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Ive been with this franchise for 10 years and Udonis Haslem has been one of the greatest finds that we have ever come upon, said HEAT President Pat Riley. The credit goes to Randy Pfund and his staff who uncovered this jewel. Udonis has shown through hard work and determination that his dream, and that of many NBA players, can come true. We are absolutely delighted that we are signing him to this contract.
Haslem, who originally signed with the HEAT as a free agent on August 6, 2003, has appeared in 155 games (104 starts) in his two-year NBA career in Miami. He has averaged 9.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 28.8 minutes per game in that span, while shooting 50.6 percent from the field and 77.9 percent from the foul line. He has scored in double-figures on 69 occasions and notched 34 double-doubles.
During the 2004-05 season, Haslem started in all 80 games in which he appeared, averaging 10.9 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 33.4 minutes per game. He ranked fourth in the NBA in field goal percentage (.540), 14th in rebound average, 14th in offensive rebounds (239), 16th in total rebounds (726), 18th in defensive rebounds (487) and tied for 28th in double-doubles (23). He also set career-highs in all statistical categories except three-point field goals. His .540 field goal percentage ranks fifth on the HEATs all-time single-season list. He also started for the sophomore team in the got milk? Rookie Challenge at All-Star Weekend in Denver; his second year participating in the event.
Haslem appeared in 15 playoff games for the HEAT in 2005, averaging 9.2 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 36.2 minutes per game.