Almost a year into his retirement from the NBA, Shane Battier is still rooting for the Miami Heat and helping underserved kids get to college.
Shane Battier.
It'll be a full year this June since Shane Battier retired from the NBA. "It’s been an interesting year—I didn’t really know what to expect," says the former Miami Heat forward who helped the team win two championships in 2012 and 2013. "For the first time in my life I didn’t have practice time or game time or to go lift weights. It was a very different year for me—a very unfamiliar year compared to the last 20 years of my life."
So what does a star basketball player do with all of this unheard-of free time? Surprisingly, he's not playing much basketball (he'll rebound for his 6-year-old son—more on that below) but he has found his way back to the court; this summer Battier landed a gig with ESPN as a men's college basketball analyst. He also has more time to help underserved kids through The Battier Take Charge Foundation, which was established to provide children and teens with the support they need to further their education. Battier concedes, "Change is good. [This year] was a chance to stretch myself and I felt I grew from the experience."
Last week, Battier and his wife, Heidi, joined David Yurman at the jeweler's boutique at Bal Harbour Shops to launch the Men’s Faceted Metal Collection and raise funds for the Battier Take Charge Foundation (a portion of the evening's proceeds went to the organization). We chatted with Battier right before the event and found out why he wants to send kids to college, his favorite place to watch basketball in Miami, and what it really takes to be a pro ball player.
How did you get involved with ESPN?
SHANE BATTIER: When I knew that last year would be my last year, I started putting out feelers. I didn’t know what I wanted to do after retirement but I knew that I wanted to stay involved with basketball, and I thought that being a person in the media would give me a great chance to stay connected to the game I love and know without the wear and tear of actually playing.
When did you decide to launch your foundation and how did you choose the cause?
SB: The cause is something very near and dear to our hearts. My wife Heidi and I are very strong proponents of higher education and education in general. Heidi was a schoolteacher when we lived in Memphis for many years and as college graduates, we always felt that the best chance for someone to unlock their potential was through college education. We started this iteration, the idea of the Battier Take Charge Foundation, about 5 years ago. We made it our mission to find some really great kids, who don’t have the means but they have all of the attributes of someone who will be successful, and help them on their journey. We believe in supplying opportunity and that’s why we work so hard trying to raise funds and raise awareness and give a special group of kids the opportunity to unlock some amazing potential.
As a sports star, do you feel a responsibility to give back or is this something you’ve always wanted to do?
SB: I feel a responsibility as a citizen of our community and a citizen of our country and a citizen of our world. I think we all have a responsibility to give back in our own way and make the place where we live a better place. We had an awesome platform through basketball to really raise a lot of money and awareness and do something big and we were able to do that through the Battier Take Charge Foundation. There are 13 kids in our program now, and we’ve graduated three kids already. So did I feel responsibility? Yes, but not just as a basketball player.
What made you partner with David Yurman and how did this event come about?
SB: We’re very fortunate to live in a community that is so philanthropic and there are so many great individuals, but also corporations and companies that have philanthropic beliefs and David Yurman is one such company. They approached us and said that they believe in our mission and they want to help us identify and help send some great South Florida kids to college. Any time someone shares our mission and our beliefs strongly, that’s a company that we want to partner with. See photos from the event >>
Shane and Heidi Battier at David Yurman Bal Harbor Shops.
Where is home now?
SB: We are Miami residents and we’ve enjoyed living here—we don’t see any reason to leave.
What are your favorite spots in town?
SB: Aw man, there are so many great restaurants. My favorite restaurant is MC Kitchen in Midtown. I love to go to Prime 112—I never have a bad meal there. Graziano’s is fantastic. I love Mandolin in Midtown. I could go on and on for days.
Where do you go to watch basketball?
SB: I go to Batch in downtown Brickell. When there are multiple games on, they have the most TVs, so I’d say that’s my spot.
The Heat just missed the playoffs—what’s your outlook for next year?
SB: I’m really excited for the Heat next year. I think they had an amazingly tough year with injuries and adversity, but they made a blockbuster trade to get Goran Dragić this year. And all of a sudden you get a healthy Chris Bosh coming back, a healthy Josh McRoberts who didn’t even play a game this year, you get Hassan Whiteside for right side, and of course you have D-Wade. That’s a formidable team. That’s a playoff team. That’s a team that can play at the highest level. If we stay healthy next year, we’re in serious business.
And your college team was just named the national champs. Were you watching? How did it feel to see them accomplish that?
SB: It was amazing. I was in the house that Monday night to see Duke win the championship. I’m so happy for Coach K[rzyzewski]. That’s someone that means so much to me and has taught me so much, not just about basketball but about life. I’m just so proud of my school. It reprehended Duke University with class and with excellence, and it’s a testament to Coach K and his longevity. It was a heck of a party, too, Monday night.
How did you celebrate?
SB: I was with a bunch of my college teammates and guys that I played with and—I didn’t get much sleep, let’s put it that way.
Athletic abilities aside, what qualities do you think make a basketball player successful?
SB: I think being a great basketball player starts with passion. You have to love the game. It’s a game that takes work to become proficient at and if you don’t love it you’re never going to put your heart and your soul into your work. You have to have the awareness and you have to have the fortitude because so many times it doesn’t go my way. If you’re not strong mentally, you’re never going to make it either. I think those are three essential trades you have to have to become a successful basketball player.
Now that you’re retired, how often do you play basketball?
SB: I haven't played basketball since game 5 of the NBA finals last year. I shoot around with my son. My son is going to be a much better basketball player than I ever was. He’s 6 years old and he’s a pretty good player, so I like to rebound for him and shoot around with him a little bit. But I haven’t played competitively. I haven’t done that in about a year.
What’s next for you? What do you see in your future?
SB: That’s an excellent question. I ask myself every single day. I finally get a chance to meet so many amazing people who are doing amazing things. I’m interested in how technology intersects with sports, with media, with entertainment. I would love to invest in different companies and learn about business. My bucket list is super long; I want to learn Spanish, I want to learn to how to deep-sea fish, I want to learn to kitesurf. I have all these things that I want to do and I’m hoping now that college basketball season is done, I’ll have a little more time to pursue. You’ll never have to worry about me getting bored.
Are you Miami Heat for life?
SB: I am a Miami Heat for life. Whether they like it or not, they’re stuck with me.