Udonis Haslem, an NBA analyst discussing the Heat? ‘I’m looking forward to the new challenge’

Udonis Haslem’s voice has been a constant and important part of the Miami Heat’s identity for the past 20 seasons. Haslem’s voice will again be part of a Heat game on Friday, but that voice won’t be in the team’s locker room or on its bench.

Instead, Haslem will serve as a guest analyst for TNT’s broadcast of the Heat’s preseason road matchup against the Spurs on Friday night. Haslem, 43, will be working out of TNT’s Atlanta studio alongside Isiah Thomas, Steve Smith and Adam Lefkoe.

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It’s Haslem’s latest foray into broadcasting after entering retirement in June following 20 NBA seasons, all spent with the Heat. He also appeared on CBS Sports HQ as an NBA analyst earlier this month.

“As I’ve gotten a little older, I realized how likable of a guy I am, and I love competing against somebody,” Haslem said to the Miami Herald. “A lot of people, like Dwyane [Wade], a close friend of mine, said it’s a lane that he thinks I’ll do well in because of my personality.

“I have thoughts on the game, I have respect around the league, and I’m going to shoot it straight. I’ve had people tell me a lot of times that’s something I should look into. It’s just something I’m comfortable doing and I think it will be fun. I’m looking forward to the new challenge. I’ve been so comfortable for so long. This is something that really takes me out of my comfort zone.”

What will it be like for Haslem to discuss the Heat in what’s supposed to be a neutral NBA analyst role on Friday? Most of the Heat’s coaching staff and players return from last season, when Haslem was on the roster as the team captain.

“I’ve got to shoot it straight,” Haslem said. “But it’s been a long summer, no games have been played. Just one preseason game. Right now, it’s just all speculation about what we think. So, I think we all can speculate. I think that’s not a hard thing to do. But I still have relationships with these guys and I know the work that these guys put in and everything that they’re doing. So when it comes to the part when I got to talk about somebody individually, I think I’m well versed on being able to speak about these guys.”

While Haslem tries to keep his Heat bias out of it, don’t expect him to be one of the media members doubting whether Miami can replicate its recent success. Miami has advanced to the Eastern Conference finals in three of the last four seasons and to the NBA Finals in two of the last four seasons, but has not won an NBA championship in that time.

“I already told people on CBS, I know those guys in that locker room,” Haslem said. “I know what they’re paying attention to. They’re paying attention to the headlines. Regardless of the moves we made over the summer, the Eastern Conference championship still got to go through Miami at this point. It doesn’t matter what happens or what people did. It’s always the same thing. People make moves over the summer and people count Miami out and you see what happens. It’s kind of like a vicious cycle. We’re used to it at this point.

“Actually I can’t say we because I’m not in that locker room right now. So let me say this, they should be used to it at this point.”

Haslem said he has already received an offer to join CBS Sports and is waiting to see what happens with TNT.

“If I can do both and it works in my schedule, I’ll probably do both,” Haslem said.

Haslem has made it clear on multiple occasions in recent years that he hopes to become part of the Heat ownership group led by the father-son duo of managing general partner Micky Arison and chief executive officer Nick Arison.

While that hasn’t happened yet, Haslem still expects be around the Heat in some capacity this season. He made an appearance at the Heat’s barbecue in Boca Raton last week that marked the end of training camp and also has recently been around the team at Kaseya Center.

Haslem, a Miami native, is a Heat icon, as he’s only the third player to spend an entire NBA career lasting at least 20 seasons with one team. The others on that short list are Dirk Nowitzki (21 seasons with Dallas Mavericks) and Kobe Bryant (20 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers), and Haslem is the only one to do it in his hometown.

“I did watch the preseason opener,” Haslem said, referring to Tuesday’s win over the visiting Charlotte Hornets to open the preseason. “I definitely watched the game. I was impressed, man. Cole [Swider] can shoot. Jaime [Jaquez Jr.] played well. Orlando [Robinson] came in toward the end and played well. [Jamal] Cain played defense. Thomas Bryant was efficient. [Tyler] Herro was aggressive. J-Rich [Josh Richardson] was just J-Rich, being a veteran out there in a preseason game. Kyle [Lowry] was a veteran in a preseason game, didn’t play much. Jimmy [Butler] and Caleb [Martin] were out. So they looked exactly how they should look at this point. Bam [Adebayo], nice easy 13 points. They looked exactly how they should look at this point.”

Even if Haslem does join the Heat in some capacity in retirement, he still plans to continue to pursue a broadcasting career.

“Guys like Grant Hill, he’s a part of broadcasts and I think he’s involved with the Atlanta Hawks in some capacity. Dwyane did it when he was involved with Utah,” Haslem said. “So I’ve seen guys that are involved with organizations who do some TV. Once again, so far I’ve liked it, I enjoyed it. It’s been fun. It’s an opportunity to meet new people. It’s exciting to be able to challenge myself in another lane.”