Dwyane Wade Is Becoming A Leader
At 33, Dwyane Wade has only ever played for one team: the Miami Heat. And if the franchise can help it, this will remain the case until he retires. However, the guard is not the same athlete he was when he first entered the league; after 12 years with the team, the superstar has finally moved into the role of leader.
Born in Chicago, Wade began playing sports as a kid. Ironically, he blossomed as a high school football player (wide receiver) but struggled on the varsity basketball team. Fortunately he was able to perform well his junior and especially senior year, setting the school record for points and steals in a season (and averaging 27.0 points and 11.0 rebounds a game).
Wade played college ball for two years, averaging a total of 19.7 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists, before entering the NBA. He was selected fifth overall in 2003 and stuck around South Beach ever since.
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Although the three-time champion has always had success with the Heat, it seems as though only recently has he undertaken the position of “top dog.” And alongside of that, mentor.
As a rookie, Wade came out as one of the best players on the roster. Despite missing 21 games he still showed everyone what he was made of; Wade became the fifth rookie to average 25 points, 6 rebounds and 7 steals. He made the 2004 NBA All-Rookie Team, and shined in the playoffs that year.
Before his second year, Shaquille O’Neal came aboard, something that put Wade under a bit of a shadow.
Nevertheless, the duo ended up bringing home a title in 2006. But still, the newbie was not looked at a co-leader; rather, he was merely Shaq’s second-hand man.
Fast-foward to the Big Three era, circa 2010. Although no one exactly knows just how LeBron James and Chris Bosh were swayed to join forces in Miami, one can assume that Wade had a lot to do with it. And yet, the second the season started, it was automatically James’ team.
In fact, no one really even stopped to realize how impressive it really was that the face of the organization relinquished power (and money), just like that, all for the sake of winning.
Once again Wade was looked at as part of a group, one in which not all parts were viewed as equal. And this continued up until last summer, when James announced he was going back home to Cleveland.
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At the start of 2014-2015, it was clear that Wade would have to step up in a major way. Not in the sense of numbers, because it was already well established that he could perform on the court. No, the veteran would have to stop sharing the spotlight and emerge as number one.
He ended up averaging 21.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists on 31.8 minutes of play, and always seemed to keep the squad’s morale high despite the Heat’s somewhat disastrous year.
This role only intensified for Wade after Miami missed the postseason. It was clear that some major changes would have to be made moving forward. And he made sure the organization knew that.
Earlier this summer, Wade announced he was opting out of his contract and then took his sweet time to re-sign with the Heat. Some labeled him a “diva,” but others realized the position he was putting himself in: he was finally becoming a leader. By leaving the door open to move on to another team, Wade made it obvious that he was to come first.
So, president Pat Riley gave him what he wanted, and who; he re-signed Goran Dragic, drafted Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson, and brought on Gerald Green and Amar’e Stoudemire.
It is pretty obvious that the Miami Heat’s 2015-2016 season will be nothing like the last, and that includes Dwyane Wade’s role. He may only have a couple of years left in him, but he is still evolving into bigger, and better things.