Wade, Haslem reunite, this time as partners on Amazon Prime
Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem — Heat legends, close friends and longtime teammates — are reuniting as teammates on Amazon Prime's NBA coverage, which begins next season.
Wade is joining Amazon in a hybrid role featuring some work in studio and some work on games. Former NBA star Steve Nash and two-time WNBA MVP Candace Parker were hired by Amazon for similar roles.
Haslem will be a part of Amazon's primary studio team, with Blake Griffin, Dirk Nowitzki and host Taylor Rooks.
The Haslem news was the one surprise in Amazon's announcement of four hires on Monday, including Wade, Nash and Parker.
Haslem had risen up the depth chart in two years at ESPN, but the network had no permanent open seat available for studio coverage of marquee games — an assignment he will get on Amazon.
'This next chapter is about staying true to who I am — bringing energy, authenticity and that same winning mind-set to every show,' Haslem said in a statement issued by Amazon.
Haslem also serves as the Heat's vice president of basketball development.
Wade worked last summer's Olympic basketball tournament for NBC, but the network opted for Reggie Miller and Jamal Crawford as its co-lead analysts.
Wade, who is a minority owner of the Utah Jazz, previously worked in TNT's NBA studio on Tuesdays before leaving that job to focus on other business pursuits. The Amazon gig will give him an opportunity to do games and studio work.
Wade and Haslem won three NBA championships together and were teammates for 15 years, the third-longest teammate partnership in NBA history, behind John Stockton and Karl Malone (who played 18 seasons together in Utah) and Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili (16 years in San Antonio). Parker and Tim Duncan also played 15 years together with the Spurs.
'Just being there for each other,' is what Haslem, in a 2019 interview with the Miami Herald, called the biggest takeaway of their friendship. 'Going through divorces, losing my mom and all the tough times, we've always been there for each other. Losing our agent [Henry Thomas, who died after a battle with cancer].
'There are so many things we've always been there for each other. So when I think about our relationship, it's always great when you're winning championships and when you're having fun and partying. But who can you turn to when you need somebody to talk to or when you need a shoulder to lean on when things aren't going your way?
'Sometimes you just want to vent and you want somebody to listen to you. Those are the moments I remember, when the lights weren't on and nobody was around and we were able to have those conversations.'
Amazon and NBC are joining ABC/ESPN as NBA rights-holders for the next 11 years, as Turner Sports exits NBA coverage after the Eastern conference finals later this month.
Amazon will carry 66 regular-season games (mostly on Thursdays and Fridays), the in-season tournament, all six play-in games, a package of first- and second-round games and six conference finals in 11 years.
TNT and CBS announcer Ian Eagle will be Amazon's lead NBA voice, but his partner hasn't been announced. TNT's Kevin Harlan and Stan Van Gundy also are expected to join Amazon, with Harlan retaining his CBS job for the NFL and college basketball.
NBC so far has announced the hirings of Miller and Crawford, Mike Tirico's role as the network's lead NBA voice (as expected) and Carmelo Anthony's hiring as a studio analyst.
NBC also has confirmed that it has reached an agreement with John Tesh to use his popular Roundball Rock music that accompanied NBC's NBA coverage in the 1990s and early this century.
NBC will carry games on Tuesdays and Peacock will stream games on Monday. Both will have playoffs packages, and NBC will air six conference finals in the 11 years of the deal.
ABC maintains rights to the NBA Finals in the new contract.
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