The newly minted world champion talks about his victory glow and the Heat’s offseason ambitions[#image: /photos/5582979c1177d66d68d55df0]||||||

The Miami Heat pissed off half the world a few weeks ago, winning their first championship since the Monstars-like team was assembled—mazel tov. And since then, it’s been Big Three this, Big Three that. But down the stretch, it was the little guy, 26-year-old Mario Chalmers, who was, as the kids say, "Getting buckets." He took a break from the champagne showers and South Beach celebrations to let us know what it feels to be king.

GQ: How has the celebration, the celebrating been?

Mario Chalmers: It’s been crazy. It’s been everything you could imagine it to be. I haven’t been anywhere else besides Miami since we won. This is my first time leaving Miami. And even out here I’m getting the same type of love I was getting in Miami.

**GQ: You had some clutch moments during the most important games of the postseason. **

Mario Chalmers: Yeah man, it feels good. Even though our team is about the Big Three most of the time, it’s good to squeeze in there every now and then just to get a little light shine on you, you know? I mean, I pride myself on being a clutch player. Anytime I see my team needs something, I try to be able to be the person that can do it.

GQ: Is there a difference between winning a championship as a franchise player or as a role player?

Mario Chalmers: That’s a tough question because, you know, being at Kansas, I was labeled as one of the superstars on the team, one of the players that gets all the accolades. Then being at Miami... I only get mentioned every now and then. I mean, it might be a little bit of a difference, but to me it really isn’t. It’s just more things you’ve got to do, more interviews, more appearances. That’s all that comes with being a star.

GQ: A ring is a ring.

Mario Chalmers: Yeah, exactly.

GQ: If you hated the Miami Heat after they won, you probably really hate them now with Ray Allen joining the team, right?

Mario Chalmers: I love it. He’s somebody that I’ve always been a big fan of ever since the movie He Got Game. Ever since I saw that, I’ve always been a Ray Allen fan. But, you know, he’s a great addition to our team. Adding a great shooter like that, it’s going to give everybody more space.

GQ: Hypothetical question: Let’s say you were the GM for the Miami Heat. Let’s say you were Pat Riley, just all of a sudden. So you’ve got a double-breasted suit and the slicked-back hair.

Mario Chalmers: With the Gators.

GQ: With the Gators. You can pick up any free agent. Who would you pick up?

Mario Chalmers: Any player that’s in the free agency right now? And we’ve got the same team we’ve got right now? I’m definitely going after Dwight. Some type of big man. That’s the only thing we’re lacking is a dominant big.

**GQ: What do you think about people calling the Heat the Yankees of basketball? **

Mario Chalmers: I don’t really pay attention to it. I mean, at the end of the day, how can you say somebody paid for a championship when six people took less money? A lot of people left a lot of money on the table just to be in that position, building a good team. And that’s what we did.