Haslem continues legacy of late stepmother. Also, Heat and 76ers enter Christmas game short-handed

For the first time since 2002, Udonis Haslem is not in the middle of an NBA season on Christmas Day. But Haslem is in the middle of a season of his life that’s included reflection and gratitude.

With Haslem holding his 15th annual B-Wootie Holiday Honor Roll Program this past weekend, he was reminded of what his late stepmother Barbara Wooten stood for and the void she leaves behind. Wooten, who the event is now named after, died from cancer earlier this month on Dec. 8 at 78 years old.

“It was her idea,” Haslem said of the honor roll program. “This is something that Barbara started. It was her baby. So to continue that is obviously continuing her legacy. She’s going to live through this foundation. So I’m even more motivated to continue to build this foundation, grow it and impact as many as possible in her memory.”

Heat not taking Christmas opportunity vs. 76ers for granted. Also, Butler and Embiid injury update

Haslem, who played 20 NBA seasons with the Heat before retiring at the end of last season, hosted the annual shopping spree on Saturday. He invited 100 honor roll students from Miami-Dade and Broward County schools “who have excelled academically despite various sociodemographic factors” to a $200 shopping spree at Walmart followed by lunch and games at FunDimension.

“I always want kids to know that there are people out there who care,” said Haslem, who is a Miami native and went to Miami High before spending his entire 20-year NBA career with his hometown Heat. “It’s so easy to feel like you’re overlooked and nobody cares about you. I think that’s the mentality that we always have growing up in the inner city that nobody cares and nobody understands. So just letting those kids know that they’re not alone, that there are people out there who do care and who came from similar circumstances and can be an example for you guys.

“For me, staying connected to the community and to the people, that’s my gift to myself. I’ve had the rings, I’ve made a lot of money. But the real true joy is when I get to do stuff like this.”

It’s a lesson Haslem, 43, learned from Wooten.

With Haslem’s parents battling addictions during his childhood, Wooten entered his life during his elementary school years and helped raise him.

Wooten later went on to become the co-founder of the Udonis Haslem Children’s Foundation, which later became the Udonis Haslem Foundation. She remained a leader and played an active role in the foundation until her passing.

“She’s a huge part of who I am today,” Haslem said. “The selfless, compassionate and loyal person that I am today. All the characteristics that I think stand out about me that are kind of forgotten about in today’s society, those are the old school things that she instilled in me. Sacrificing from Day 1, bringing me into a family when I actually technically wasn’t her child. They sacrificed space in a two-bedroom apartment for me and she had kids already.

“A lot of the reason why I’m here today, the successful person I am, are because of the things I experienced growing up and watching Barbara Wooten.”

Wooten’s death has left Haslem reflecting on his life and what he’s lost while also showing gratitude for what was.

“I’m taking it one day at a time,” Haslem said. “That’s all I can do. Trying to stay busy, but not too busy. Giving myself a chance to feel what I need to feel, reflect. Also, the human condition is to feel sorry for yourself. But I want to do the opposite. I want to be thankful for the time that I spent with [Wooten]. I want to be thankful for the impact that she had in my life. Finding that balance because naturally you want to feel sorry for yourself and you want to ask why. But I just want to look at it from a different perspective.”

Prior to Wooten’s death, Haslem’s father, Johnnie Haslem, died in August 2021 and his mother, Debra Haslem, died in July 2010.

“I had great parents,” Haslem continued. “My mother was a great woman, a strong woman. My father was a great man, a strong man. But they struggled, they had addictions and things that they needed to deal with. So it was the perfect time for Barbara Wooten to be in my life and to stay in my life. Eventually, my mother got clean and turned into the amazing woman that she was meant to be. And they developed an amazing relationship and I had two mothers. And my father got right and I had two mothers and a father. So I had an amazing team around me. I had an amazing foundation for a great amount of time. Instead of being sad, I want to be thankful for that.”

Haslem will also try to approach his upcoming jersey retirement ceremony with the same attitude instead of feeling sad for who’s not there to experience it with him. He’ll be thankful for those who will be there like his wife, Faith, and three sons, Kedonis, Elijah, and Josiah.

The Heat will retire Haslem’s No. 40 jersey on Jan. 19 when the Heat hosts the Atlanta Hawks. He’ll become just the sixth Heat player to have his jersey retired by the organization, joining Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway, Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade.

“I’m looking forward to it,” said Haslem, who was hired in November to be the Heat’s vice president of basketball development just months after his playing career came to an end. “Obviously, it’s going to be bittersweet because my parents won’t be there. But I still got a lot of family left, I’ll have a lot of people in the building. I’m going to be thankful. I’ve had enough losses, so I’m looking to be thankful and happy. So I’m going to let that moment be a good moment for me. I’m not going to reflect on the things that I don’t have. I’m going to reflect on the things that are happening in that moment and the things that I accomplished.”

BUSY FOR THE HOLIDAYS

The Heat is working on Christmas Day, hosting the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night at Kaseya Center. But along with Haslem, other Heat players, coaches and executives spent the days and weeks leading up to Christmas giving back.

Heat center Bam Adebayo and his foundation, The BBB Foundation, hosted “13 Days of Christmas,” completing one act of kindness per day in Miami. That included seat upgrades, special prizes, signed merchandise and his annual toy drive for 200 kids that was held this year at Santa’s Enchanted Forest.

Heat guard Tyler Herro partnered with the Voices for Children Foundation and gifted 10 kids $1,000 gift cards for a shopping spree at the Nike store.

Heat forward Duncan Robinson and wing Jimmy Butler also hosted community events.

Former Heat player and current Heat executive Alonzo Mourning hosted 200 kids for lunch and a gift giveaway at Gulfstream Park through his foundation, the Mourning Family Foundation.

The Heat hosted a holiday event at Kaseya Center for pre-selected student groups from South Dade Senior High School and Homestead Senior High School through the Title I Migrant Education Program of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. This day featured activities such as a Jr. HEAT clinic, personalized gift exchanges with a Heat player, an arena tour, and more.

HEAT AND 76ERS SHORT-HANDED

After initially being listed as questionable for Monday’s Christmas game against the 76ers, the Heat ruled out Butler (strained left calf) and Haywood Highsmith (non-COVID illness). Josh Richardson (low back discomfort), who was initially listed as probable, also was downgraded to out for the contest.

This marks the third straight game that Butler has missed with his calf injury. Highsmith and Richardson played in the Heat’s last game — a Friday win over the Atlanta Hawks — before sitting out Mondays’ matchup against the 76ers.

The Heat also remains without Dru Smith, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in November.

The 76ers will be without reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid because of a sprained right ankle. Along with Embiid, the 76ers ruled out Nicolas Batum (right hamstring strain), Ricky Council IV (G League) and Terquavion Smith (G League) for Monday’s game in Miami.