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http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miamiheat/story/_/id/9437252/udonis-haslem-played-torn-meniscus-needs-knee-surgery

MIAMI -- Heat forward Udonis Haslem played through much of the second half of Miami's season with a torn right meniscus, and told The Associated Press that surgery will be required to repair the previously undisclosed injury.

Haslem made the revelation Saturday after a promotional appearance where hundreds of Heat fans began lining up to see the Miami native five hours before he arrived. Surgery will occur soon, he said, and Haslem expects to be ready for training camp this fall.

"It forces me to be smart and take my time with recovery this summer," said Haslem, who just completed his 10th NBA season, all with Miami. "Obviously, I don't heal like I used to so I've got to be a lot smarter and this forces me to be smart. My body's a little weary right now, a lot more weary than it was after last year."

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Haslem averaged 3.9 points in 75 regular-season games this past season for the Heat, who captured their second straight NBA title. Haslem and Dwyane Wade are the only players who have been part of all three of Miami's NBA championship clubs.

He only missed three games before the final week of the regular season, sitting out Dec. 10 against Atlanta with flu-like symptoms, Dec. 29 against Milwaukee with a neck contusion and Feb. 14 against Oklahoma City after remaining back in Miami with what the team called a bruised right leg. Haslem got hurt two nights earlier, leaving a Feb. 12 home game against Portland after only nine minutes.

Haslem played 50 games after that injury, including Miami's playoff run.

"I'm already thinking about recovery," Haslem said.

It's already been a hectic offseason for Miami, which made the decision to use a team option and keep starting point guard Mario Chalmers and had three other players -- Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis and James Jones -- all exercise their player-option rights to return next season. Just about everyone in the organization, including Heat President Pat Riley and stars LeBron James and Wade, said they wanted those players to stick around for another year.

The next decision that should affect the Heat is the one that will be made by forward Chris "Birdman" Andersen, who becomes a free agent on Monday. Miami wants him back badly, and the Heat were 54-8 in games where Andersen played this season.

"I expected everybody that had the opportunity to come back to make the choice to come back," Haslem said. "Hopefully everything will work out with Bird and we'll have him back again at it as well. I have no idea what he'll do, but he fit in great with us. He was what we needed in that role. To me, it's almost a no-brainer."

Haslem was on the 2006-07 Heat team that came back virtually intact after winning a title, and remembers how many issues plagued that team, starting with several veterans showing up for training camp out of shape.

With it now virtually certain that next season's Heat team will be pretty close to the one that beat San Antonio in seven games for this season's championship, Haslem is sure that the same issues won't be a problem again.

"Everybody will be in shape," Haslem said. "Me and D-Wade learned that the hard way. And LeBron sets the standard so high, man, everybody's got to keep up with him so nobody wants to come back out of shape."

Haslem signed hundreds of autographs for 90 minutes, then scribbled his name on many more items thrust toward him by people still waiting in line when his appearance Saturday was completed. Many of those on line at a Sports Authority store wore shirts and jerseys with Haslem's name on the back, which he still finds mindboggling.

He left $14 million on the negotiating table three summers ago just so he could remain with the Heat and not go elsewhere as a free agent.

"It's amazing," Haslem said. "It's amazing. You start to think that people are used to you and they don't appreciate you anymore, but every time they get an opportunity they come out and show me love. There's a lot of support and that's what it's all about. That's why I stayed here."

Haslem sure has had his fair share of the injury bug ever since the "Big 3 Era" has started.We all know Haslem's a warrior and for him to be playing with a torn meniscus,and to look as healthy as can be,

it really shows his professionalism and how he approaches the game ready to work.Glad to see him playing with the injury wasn't in vain eventually becoming a 3-time champion in the process.I hope for a full recovery.

All heart this guy! All the people that were posting on realgm, wishing for Heat injuries, we got our fair share. Our guys didn't let it get in the way of their goal. Good for them!

props for keeping it quiet until after the post-season

Wow thats amazing. I would have never even guessed.

Impressive, true warrior, didn't say a word until the season was over, hops he comes back healthy next year and gives us some good minutes of the bench

There are all kinds of levels of tears of the meniscus. I have played with a slight tear. They just trim it up so it doesn't catch.

I actually expected Westbrook to come back until I heard he had the surgery.

Warrior. Heart of a champion. If he had sat out--we don't win that Pacers series. Those two great shooting games he had put us through. Hope he can get right and get his jumper going.

If Haslem could extend his range to the corner 3, he would be amazingly useful.

Kept his mouth shut and just played. Hate when guys cry to the media about injuries.

Damn...what a warrior

DatD-Wade3 wrote:Damn...what a warrior

This. Take to so called past MVPs. Born n Raised.

Haslem is a warrior but we need him to come back healthy and with a decent jumper. Last few years have been hard to watch. While I'll agree that in big moments we get the UD we love but I hope to see it more than just a select few games. UD is the heart of this team and the captain. One day his jersey will be hung up right next to Zo, Timmy and Wade..

Wow that is painful. if this were football we could stash him on IR

All the people who claimed we were lucky to be injury free are eating crow now because we had two severe cases with Wade and Haslem. The difference is, our organization tries to keep it as low-profile as possible. In Wade's case it wasn't as easy because he's a superstar and gains a lot of media interest when his play isn't up to par, but even with him we kept things such as him having his knee drained and receiving hours of therapy in the house until the postseason was over. Wade took all the s*** in the world rather than revealing more than necessary about his injury and UD just sucked it up and played through it. Whoever questions those guys has to take a good, long, hard look in the mirror or just look at the rest of the league.

Solja

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Damn once again our HEATLES were able to win another title while most of our players were injured

LBJ, Wade, Bosh, UD, MM, Ray, Birdman all were battling injuries, yet they still overcome this and were able to win another title. Birdman his first.

He played better with a torn meniscus then... He was pathetic in the 1st half of the season.

Add that to the jersey retirement resume for Mr. 305. My ninja.

Yep reminds me of all the people that wish injuries on our team. Sometimes we don't even know our own injuries.

First Haslem's almost season ending injury, then playing with the cracked rib, now this... warrior.

Wade and Haslem had severe injuries that disrupt their play, but they still played well enough to win a title, wow Can't believe despite the torn meniscus, he still had those games against Indy.

I just wish Haslem was way more consistent, he can be painful to even watch when he's out on the court

I'm guessing he'll be ready for training camp if he gets surgery now. Westbrook had the same thing.

born n raised in da county of DADE