MIAMI (WSVN) - The Miami Heat honored the late Jose Fernandez during their pre-season game against the Brooklyn Nets, Tuesday night.
During pre-game warm ups and on the bench, Heat players wore T-shirts sporting Fernandez’s initials and jersey number.
“We want to make sure his memory and legacy lives on,” said Heat forward Justise Winslow. “Any way we can pay tribute, we’ll do so. The City of Miami, the Marlins, the sports world, just the world in general, is feeling the sorrow that his family and his team is going through, so our prayers are with them.”
The 24-year-old pitcher died in a boating accident with his friends, 27-year-old Emilio Macias and 25-year-old Eduardo Rivero, on Sept. 25. His death left a mark on the South Florida sports community and beyond.
Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon attended Tuesday night’s game. “Felt good to sit here in Miami representing Jose and his family like this,” he said. “We’re all sad, you know? He was Miami, and I’m just happy for the city to keep paying tribute to him.
Missing from Tuesday night’s game was Chris Bosh. However, despite being denied by the Heat, he intends to make a return to the NBA.
“I want my children to know that daddy was a fighter, and he just didn’t give up very easily,” Bosh said.
On the same night Jose Fernandez and his two buddies were remembered, Heat players and coaches locked arms during the performance of the national anthem as a show of solidarity regarding the topic of social injustice.
The team said they will continue to talk on what they can do to make a difference.
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