MIAMI (AP) – Pfc. Joshua Langley stood at midcourt in Army camouflage, waving and urging Miami Heat fans to cheer louder.

So they did. Not for the Heat, but for him. And for a few seconds, Langley could think about something besides war.

All season, the Heat have honored soldiers just back from Iraq or Afghanistan before every home game, introducing them to fans immediately after “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Heat coach Pat Riley came up with the idea, and several NBA teams have similar tributes.

“Those guys, they’re not paid like us,” Miami forward Udonis Haslem said. “But their job is probably one of the most important jobs anyone can do. They defend freedom. It’s a privilege to shake their hands and meet them.”

Some soldiers honored at these Heat games are Purple Heart winners. Many received other awards and commendations. Some, like Langley, were back for only a brief time between stints. Langley, an honoree at Sunday’s game, was on a 15-day leave from Iraq and is set to return there later this week.

“His uncle is a season-ticket holder and called and said he’d like to go to a game before he goes back to war,” Riley said. “He’s a gunner with the Delta Infantry, riding there supporting the ground troops in live fire. … That’s who this is for. That’s what this is about.”

Heat players present the honorees with a wrapped gift box, containing items commemorating the team’s “15 Strong” mantra used during last season’s run to the NBA championship, along with Heat dog tags with the soldier’s name engraved.

Most players take a minute during warmups to introduce themselves to the military honorees. Some soldiers spend the entire time snapping photos, marking the night they met Shaquille O’Neal and the NBA champions. “They’re very appreciative of it,” Riley said.

So, too, are the Heat coaches and players.

Alonzo Mourning always approaches the honorees just after the ceremony, and always delivers the same message: “I appreciate you,” the center tells each one.

“I’ve got a military family,” Mourning said. “My father was in the military. I had two uncles in the military. My dad’s uncle was in the military. My uncle fought in Vietnam. People just fail to realize how good we have it over here. Those guys fighting in Iraq, I’m very sympathetic to what they have to do because most of them, deep down inside, don’t want to be there. But it’s their job.”

Riley, who said he voted for President Bush when the Heat visited the White House a couple of weeks ago, insists his motivation behind this program is anything but political. He wants politicians of all stripes to give the soldiers their due.

Riley appears well-educated on the issue. He said the unemployment rate for Americans is around 5 percent, while noting the unemployment rate for disabled returning veterans is 17 percent. And that makes him seethe.

It’s personal for Mourning, too. During an earlier visit to Washington this season, the Heat had the chance to tour Walter Reed Medical Center, one of the nation’s premier facilities for treating those wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. After hearing recent disclosures of roach-infested conditions and shoddy outpatient care, Mourning was angered.

“Ridiculous, man. … It makes no sense to me,” he said. “We’ve got to do more for these guys.”

Doing something as simple as bringing soldiers to midcourt and shaking their hand, Mourning said, is a start.

“It’s more than appreciating them. It’s more than honoring them. It’s more than thanking them,” Riley said. “It’s simply making sure that they understand there’s people who really care about what they do.”