From One Workhorse To Another: Udonis Haslem Praises Josh Hart After Knicks Win NBA Cup

Throughout his stint with the New York Knicks, Josh Hart has drawn widespread acclaim for his hustle and selflessness on the court. The praise, of course, hits different when it comes from another bona fide workhorse.

After the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in the Emirates NBA Cup finals on Tuesday, Hart and longtime teammate Jalen Brunson sat down with the “NBA on Prime” post-game panel. One of these panelists was Udonis Haslem, who made a living in the NBA as the Miami Heat’s glue guy for two decades.

It takes one to know one, and Haslem did not hesitate to dish out praise for the Knicks forward. “Every team could use a Josh Hart, bro. I love what you do, dawg,” Haslem said.

“Appreciate you,” Hart replied as they shook hands.

Unable to resist himself, Brunson broke up the sentimental moment. “Not if that coach wants to practice a lot,” he retorted. As the Prime panel burst out laughing, Hart fired back: “They’re called game checks, right?”

Despite his buddy Brunson’s “revelation,” Hart has set the bar high in New York City for hard-nosed plays on both ends of the floor. While talented scorers like Brunson, Julius Randle, and Karl-Anthony Towns have commanded the spotlight on offense, Hart has been more than happy to do the thankless work of chasing loose balls, dishing passes, and defending the opposing team’s best perimeter player.

The box score of the Knicks-Spurs game showed a perfect example of typical Brunson and Hart stat lines. While Brunson, the NBA Cup MVP, topped the Knicks with 28 points on 10-for-17 shooting, Hart pumped in some workhorse numbers: eight rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block. He even managed to get into double-digit scoring, chipping in 11 points on a 5-for-7 shooting line.

Ten years ago, it was Haslem setting hard screens and crashing the boards for the Miami Heat. Just as the 20-year NBA veteran willingly took a backseat to the likes of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James, Hart is comfortable with his former Villanova running mate becoming the most prominent figure in New York.

But, in case anyone forgot that Hart’s contributions are indispensable, Haslem made sure to give him his flowers after a milestone win in his career.