The Miami Heat have opened the 2025-26 season on a positive note, winning two of their first three games after going winless in the preseason. With Tyler Herro sidelined due to injury, Bam Adebayo, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Norman Powell have stepped up for head coach Erik Spoelstra in his absence.
Meanwhile, a familiar face from the Heat’s past has found a new home overseas. Former Miami center Hassan Whiteside has signed a deal with the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). There, he’ll reunite with fellow former NBA player Eric Bledsoe.
This marks Whiteside’s third stint in China. He previously played for the Sichuan Blue Whales and Jiangsu Tongxi in the Chinese NBL, where he dominated—averaging more than 26 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks per game. After his time in the NBL, he also played professionally in Puerto Rico before returning to China.
Whiteside was a key defensive presence during his five seasons in Miami. He led the NBA in both rebounds and blocks once apiece, later leading the league in blocks again as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers. Whiteside also finished in the top five in Defensive Player of the Year voting twice, including a third-place finish and an All-Defensive Second Team selection in 2015-16.
In total, Whiteside averaged 14.1 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game with Miami, including 3.7 blocks per game in his best season.
Now 36, his NBA days appear behind him, but Whiteside will look to prove he remains a top-tier contributor in the CBA this season.
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