Heat center Hassan Whiteside has no plans of giving fuel to his critics.
No way will he give the doubters any inkling of hope. No chance of him falling prey to those who think he will fade now that he's cashed in.
Whiteside sees no reason for this magical ride to end, especially after he's worked so hard to get here.
"I think it's crazy for somebody to say that," Whiteside said of those who think he will get complacent. "It took me 27 years to get here. What would be the point of doing all that if I don't reach my final goal?"
After beginning his career as a basketball journeyman, Whiteside signed a four-year, $98 million contract in the offseason. With Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh gone, he now becomes the face of the organization.
"They influenced me a lot," Whiteside said. "I sat beside Bosh in the locker room. I sat across from D-Wade. They just told me the Heat way, and I'm just trying to keep that going."
Whiteside becomes the centerpiece of a team that was one victory shy of reaching the Eastern Conference finals. Even though the expectations are lowered from those outside the organization, he is expected to shoulder most of the load.
When asked if this was his team, Whiteside turned to humor.
"It's coach [Erik Spoelstra's] team," he said with a laugh. "He's the one with all the minutes."
Jokes aside, teammates are aware of how Whiteside's role has changed. This is his chance to prove the naysayers wrong.
"He came in understanding that people are going to talk about how big the contract is," guard Tyler Johnson said. "I know he's ready to take that challenge on. You hear a lot of chatter about when you give somebody money they kind of fall off or they get content. I don't see that with him. His game is continuing to develop and get even better."
Whiteside insists fans will see another layer to his game. Although he refused to go into detail, he spent the offseason working on becoming a more complete player.
"He's shown great perseverance and has a chip on his shoulder," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He's had it for so long now that I think that's become who he is. That's a great quality to have. I don't think that will change. It will just be on to the next challenge."
Whiteside is entering his third season with the Heat, which is a first for his career. At the team's media day on Monday, he told a group of reporters this was the first time he had played on the same team for more than two straight seasons. That dates to his high school years.
His unlikely path to NBA standout has always kept him on guard.
"I would never give anybody the satisfaction of saying, 'I told you so,' " Whiteside said.
With the Heat fielding a team full of so many newcomers, this will also be the first time Whiteside is put in a leadership role. He is considered a veteran despite himself being relatively new to the situation.
"He signed a deal so he can be more relaxed," guard Goran Dragic said. "... D-Wade is gone. C.B. is gone so he needs to step in as a leader too."
