That Legendary Grace of Dwayne Wade
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Dwayne Tyrone Wade Jr. (January 17, 1982) is a trailblazing American basketball player. He played for the Miami Heat during most of his 16 NBA sessions, amassing an impressive 13 All-Star selections and winning three titles. Wade played college basketball at Marquette University before being drafted by Miami Heat in 2003.
Due to his legendary blocking skills, Wade became known by various names such as “x`” and “D-Wade.” As an elite defender, Wade averaged 1.67 blocks per 48 minutes in the 2009 season , which was the highest rate of any guard in the league at the time. He led Miami Heat to championships in 2006, 2012, and 2013.
During the latter parts of his career, Wade played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls before returning to Miami Heat and subsequently retiring in 2019 as the team’s all-time leader in numerous categories.
Although formidable, D-Wade wasn’t a favorite during his formative years and was lightly recruited by colleges before accepting a scholarship to Marquette University. It wasn’t until his breakout season as a junior when he averaged 21.5 points per game that led him to an unexpected berth in the Final Four of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
Wade decided to opt-out of his senior season to prepare for the 2003 draft. The Miami Heat chose him as their 5th overall pick .
Wade made his presence known right away by earning his first-team NBA All-rookie honors after scoring 16.2 ppg for the youth team. During the next season, he improved his average score to 24.1 ppg and led the Miami Heads with record-breaking assists to earn an All-Star selection.
Wade had among the best individual playoff performances in NBA history during the league finals. He went on to average 39.3 ppg during the next four seasons (all of which resulted in a win for his team), leading his team to an NBA championship and earning the final’s coveted Most Valuable Player award.
Wade continued to make major breakthroughs in his career. More notably, he led the NBA in terms of scoring average during 2008-09 with a 30.2 ppg, but the Miamian Heat failed to assert their dominance after their championship stint.
During the 2010 off-season, Wade tried to recruit superstars Chris Bosh and LeBron James (who were free agents) into signing with the Miami Heat. He was successful. The trio was known as the Big Three. Although James eventually overshadowed him and became the focal point of Miami Heat’s offense, it should be noted that Wade gracefully kept performing at an All-Star level. The Miami Heat proceeded to the NBA finals during the Big Three’s first season together.
The Miami Heat (and subsequently the Big Three) lost thier first NBA finals game to the Mavericks but returned the following year to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder for the NBA title. Although the Heat qualified for the finals in 2012-13, Wade’s performance in the season was not as usual. He had accumulated numerous injuries and was getting older, averaging at only 15.9 ppg, a career-low for him. However, Wade wasn’t done by any stretch of the imagination.
His stellar performance was the main reason why Miami beat San Antonio Spurs to bag their third NBA title. Wade and the Miami Heat advanced to their 4th consecutive appearance in the league finals in 2013-14, this time losing to the Spurs in their championship rematch. When James left Miami in the off-season, coinciding with the team’s departure from the NBA’s upper echelon, Wade resumed his role as the team's focal point. He led Miami Heat with a 21.5 ppg. His team made a rebound in 2015-16 by winning 48 games and earning the three-seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.
Wade, however, was at a crossroads after growing frustrated over what he believed was a lack of appreciated from Miami’s management because of their poor contract offer. He decided to sign up with the Chicago Bulls. Wade only averaged 18.3 ppg in the first season with the Bulls, his lowest scoring average since the rookie year - which ended his 12-year streak at the All-Star Game.
The Chicago Bulls qualified for the finals in the Eastern Conference playoffs but got eliminated in six post season games. In the following off-season, Wade agreed to a contract buyout and signed a 12-month deal to play alongside James with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Wade didn’t make any breakthroughs with the Cavaliers, and the struggling team traded him back to the Miami Heat in February 2018. Wade gracefully play his final season with the middling Miami Heat and retired at the end of the 2018-19 season.
Dwayne is well respected by his teammates as a leader. This mostly has to do with his work ethic, as he takes his practice sessions as seriously as games. He would often go to the gym by himself, setting up chairs to act as opponents and teammates.
Dwayne Wade Biography – Family Life
Dwayne Tyrone Wade Jr. was born on January 17, 1982, to Dwayne Sr. and Jolinda. His parents separated when he was still young. However, they maintained a friendly relationship and allowed Dwayne to spend plenty of time with each parent. Up until his 8th birthday, Dwayne lived on Chicago’s South Side with his mother, sister, and step-father.
Throughout his childhood, Wade was described as a well-mannered child. He had a liking for sports, such as basketball and football. But it never crossed his mind to play sports in a professional capacity. That soon changed when he moved in with his father, who had a new wife and three sons.
Dwayne Sr. was an excellent basketball player in his younger years and coached many teenagers. He would bring Dwayne with him to practice and teach him the basics of basketball and schooled him on the game's nuances. The team’s best player was Dwayne’s stepbrother Demetrius, who is said to have played a role in his development.
Dwayne married Siohvaugn Funches, his high school sweetheart, in 2002. The couple has two children together, Zaire and Zaya. They divorced in 2007 and what followed after was a rough court battle . In 2014, Dwayne married Hollywood star, Gabrielle Union. In 2018, the couple welcomed their daughter Kaavia James Union Wade.