Hassan Whiteside sat down with HEAT.com after a recent practice to discuss his off-court interests and other things people may not know about him.
Who was your favorite player growing up?
Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan and Shaq.
What is a moment in your life that shaped you?
Going second round in the NBA Draft.
What’s your most memorable high school or AAU game?
Being down 25 my junior year and I told them, ‘We’re not going to lose this game.’ We came back in the fourth quarter.
Was it a playoff game or a championship game?
One of the playoff games.
What’s your favorite TV Show or Movie?
Family Guy.
What would you be if you weren’t a basketball player?
NASCAR driver.
Really?
Listen: NASCAR driver, boxer and then chef.
Who are the top three musicians in your rotation?
Drake, J. Cole and Jay-Z.
Whose playing style do you think you most model your game after?
I just got a mixture. Maybe David Robinson, probably.
What is one thing you can’t live without?
Video games.
What is your favorite type of food?
I don’t have one. There are too many.
What is your favorite workout/drill?
Shooting drills.
What was your favorite subject in school?
Math.
What is your favorite sport outside of basketball?
Is video games a sport? Some people get paid for it.
Actually, that’s true.
Video games.
What was your most memorable experience on the court as a professional basketball player?
When I set the first triple-double with blocks in HEAT history [against the Bulls].
What would you like to do once your playing career is over?
Relax on an island, man. I don’t want to be a coach or nothing. Just relax.
What was the first thing you bought once you received your first NBA check?
A car.
Which one did you get?
2010 Escalade.
What was your most unusual experience with a fan?
I’ll be signing their arms, signing their shoes and all kinds of crazy stuff.
What was your ‘Welcome to the NBA’ moment?
The Bulls game. [When he got his triple-double with blocks.]
Who are three historical figures you’d like to have lunch with?
Martin Luther King, Tupac and Warren Buffet.
What is your favorite car that you've ever owned?
Mercedes S-Class.
What’s your favorite outdoor activity?
Swimming.