Shane Battier is an NBA champion, and there may be no other member of the Miami Heat team that seemed to savor the experience of the finals and winning than the veteran forward.
But it was Battier’s Duke connections that helped guide him to Miami.
When Battier was a free agent following the lockout, he got a call from Heat CEO Nick Arison — a former Blue Devil who was the team manager while Battier was in college and won a national title. They were friends and had a connection.
Then there was Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski who helped push Battier to South Beach, he told the Duke Chronicle (via SLAM).Battier said he received a call of congratulations from Duke basketball head coach Krzyzewski, who has seen just him and Danny Ferry leave Durham to become NBA champions during his tenure.
“[Krzyzewski] was the one who wanted me to go to Miami more than anyone else,” Battier said. “In the end, like always, he was right.”For some of you out there, Duke combined with Miami may be two-thirds of the Axis of Evil along with the Illuminati. But in case your curious, when asked during the NBA finals whether he got more Heat or Duke hate Battier said it wasn’t close — Duke in a landslide.
