Hassan Whiteside is basically the poster child for the "it’s never over until it’s over" mentality in the NBA. One minute he's out of the league and playing in Lebanon for 11 points a game, and the next, he’s signing a $98 million contract with the Miami Heat. If you're looking for Hassan Whiteside dates joined for his various teams, you aren't just looking at a list of years. You’re looking at a survival map of a guy who had to go around the world just to find a way back to the American spotlight.
Honestly, the timeline is messy. It’s not a straight line from the draft to stardom. It’s a zigzag.
The Early Days and the Sacramento Start
Most people forget that Whiteside actually started in Sacramento. He was the 33rd overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. On July 8, 2010, he officially joined the Sacramento Kings.
He was young. He was raw. And frankly, he wasn't ready.
Between 2010 and 2012, he spent more time with the Reno Bighorns in the D-League than he did on an actual NBA floor. The Kings waived him on July 14, 2012. At that point, the "bust" label was being printed and glued to his locker. He vanished from the NBA radar for two years.
The Wilderness Years (2012–2014)
Where do you go when the NBA says no? Everywhere, apparently.
📖 Related: How to watch vikings game online free without the usual headache
- December 5, 2012: Joined the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
- April 2013: Signed with Amchit in Lebanon.
- May 2013: Joined Sichuan Blue Whales in China.
- November 2013: Back to Lebanon with Al Moutahed Tripoli.
- May 2014: Joined Jiangsu Tongxi in China.
He was a nomad. He was putting up video game numbers in the Chinese NBL, but nobody in the States was watching. Then, 2014 happened.
The Miami Heat Transformation
The most famous of the Hassan Whiteside dates joined is undoubtedly November 24, 2014. That is the day he signed with the Miami Heat.
It was a quiet move at the time. He had just been cut by the Memphis Grizzlies (twice in one month!) and was basically a "let's see if this 7-footer can breathe" signing for Pat Riley.
He didn't just breathe. He exploded.
By January 2015, he was recording triple-doubles with blocks. He famously told reporters he was just trying to "get his NBA 2K rating up." That performance earned him the big bag. On July 7, 2016, he re-signed with Miami on a massive four-year, $98.4 million max contract. He went from making roughly $700k to nearly $25 million a year.
👉 See also: Liechtenstein National Football Team: Why Their Struggles are Different Than You Think
The Journeyman Phase: Portland, Utah, and Beyond
After five years in Miami, the league started to change. Teams wanted "stretch bigs," and Whiteside was a traditional "rim protector." The Heat traded him to the Portland Trail Blazers on July 6, 2019.
He actually led the league in blocks that year in Portland. 2.9 per game. He was still a force, even if the "advanced stats" crowd started to get picky about his defensive rotations.
When that contract ended, he became a bit of a hired gun:
- November 27, 2020: Re-joined the Sacramento Kings on a one-year deal. A full-circle moment.
- August 6, 2021: Joined the Utah Jazz. He was the backup to Rudy Gobert, which was a wild pairing of two of the best shot-blockers in the world.
- March 14, 2023: Joined Piratas de Quebradillas in Puerto Rico.
The "Retirement" That Wasn't
In early 2024, the basketball world thought Hassan was done. On February 13, 2024, reports surfaced that he was retiring. He even shared some "happy retirement" posts on his Instagram.
But Hassan Whiteside doesn't do things the normal way.
✨ Don't miss: Cómo entender la tabla de Copa Oro y por qué los puntos no siempre cuentan la historia completa
It turns out he was just dealing with a nagging shoulder injury. He needed time to heal. By April 7, 2025, he was back on a roster, this time signing with Cangrejeros de Santurce in Puerto Rico.
And now? As of late 2025 and heading into 2026, he’s back in China. He joined the Shanghai Sharks for the 2025-2026 season. Even at 36 years old, the guy is still swatting shots. On January 13, 2026, he put up 12 points and 9 rebounds against Shenzhen. He's still got gas in the tank.
Why the Dates Joined Matter
If you’re tracking Whiteside’s career, you see a pattern of resilience. Most players who get cut after two years and disappear to Lebanon never come back. Whiteside did. He joined more than a dozen teams across four different countries.
If you're looking to understand his impact, don't just look at the points. Look at the blocks and the rebounds. He’s one of the few players in history to lead the league in both categories at different times.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Collectors
- Check the 2026 CBA Stats: If you're following his current form, the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) is where he is active right now. He is still a double-double threat in that league.
- Card Collecting: His 2010 Sacramento rookie cards are still relatively affordable because his "peak" happened in Miami. His 2014-15 Miami Heat "breakout" cards are often more sought after by fans.
- Historical Context: When comparing rim protectors, remember that Whiteside's 3.7 blocks per game in 2015-16 is a number we rarely see in the modern, perimeter-oriented NBA.
Hassan Whiteside's journey shows that "joined dates" aren't just administrative markers; they are the timeline of a guy who refused to stay out of the league. Whether he's in Miami, Utah, or Shanghai, the blocks keep coming.
To track his latest performances in China, you can follow the official CBA league updates or international basketball databases like LatinBasket, which currently tracks his 2026 season stats with the Shanghai Sharks.