On the latest episode of “The OGs” with former Miami Heat players Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller, they discussed the best shooters in the NBA currently. Haslem would discuss including the likes of Heat stars Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro on a list like that while taking Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant off the list.
The former Miami captain would then claim that Robinson would beat Durant in a shooting competition, making him the better shooter. There was some pushback since Durant is an all-time great player, but Haslem said that the argument is not about how they are as an overall basketball star, but saying Robinson is a better shooter according to the latest episode.
“We ain’t saying scorer’s, we ain’t saying basketball players,” Haslem said on his show. “The word upstairs says shooters…shooters. In a shooting competition Duncan Robinson, yes I think he will beat KD.”
Haslem has a point on Robinson vs. Durant
On the surface, while Robinson is a solid player for the Heat, comparing him to Durant could be jarring for most people since he is established as an all-time scorer. However, Haslem is not totally off if the conversation is about who is the better “shooter.” Looking at career numbers, Robinson is 40 percent from three-point range where as Durant is 38.8 percent from beyond the arc.
There is no doubt that Durant is the better scorer, but shooting the deep shot is a whole different conversation. However, reducing the scope and looking at this current season, Robinson is shooting 45.8 percent from the field and 41.1 percent from deep in 41 games. For Durant, he is shooting 53.1 percent from the field and 46.4 percent from three-point range in 36 games.
Durant’s Suns teammate in big-man Jusuf Nurkic was critical about Haslem’s comments that he took to social media on X (formerly known as Twitter) and posted a graphic of himself that said “That brotha needs help.” This was in reference to when he said that about Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green after their incident earlier this season.
Haslem has been celebrated recently by the Heat
Haslem has been all over the news the past couple of weeks as the Heat retired his number and jersey on Jan.19 where the team faced the Atlanta Hawks. Despite receiving some flack from former Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce about the celebration being given and not earned, Haslem disagrees and expressed that he hopes his journey inspires others.
“I earned it. It was not given,” Haslem said at his halftime speech. “I had to work twice as hard just to have a seat at the table. So to finally see that, I hope that there’s somebody that can relate to this because I think all of us have been in situations where somebody has told us what we can’t do or what we’re not capable of, put a cap on us.”
An impressive resume for Haslem
Undrafted out of the University of Florida, he has the most rebounds in Heat history with rebounds and ranks among the team in all-time leaders in games played (second), minutes (second), and field goals made (fifth). He has been a part of three championship teams and appeared in seven NBA Finals.
Adding to his impressive resume, he is one of three to have played at least 20 years with the same organization including Kobe Bryant with the Los Angeles Lakers and Dirk Nowitzki with the Dallas Mavericks. There is no doubt Haslem’s legacy will live forever with the Heat as he has passed on the torch of the “Heat Culture” to the likes of Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, and even the recently acquired Terry Rozier.
Speaking of Rozier, his debut with the team is undetermined as the Heat says he is questionable for Wednesday’s game against due to the “trade pending” against the Memphis Grizzlies per their X account. He could play Thursday on the tail-end of the back-to-back against his former team in the Celtics.
