Homecoming
Even though Dwyane Wade acknowledged that he didn’t want to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers during the middle of a playoff push, that didn’t stop him from having an immediate impact upon returning to South Beach.
Well, almost immediate.
In Wade’s first game back in a Heat jersey, a February matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, the veteran was welcomed back with warm cheers as he checked in off the bench. He only mustered three points, but they were the symbolic stamp on a career defined by showing up when it matters most.
No one wanted to see Wade retire in Cleveland. Nor would hanging up his sneakers in his hometown Chicago be fitting.
Wade’s return to Miami last, which was coupled by the looming suspicion of his inevitable retirement provided the Heat excitement where there previously wasn’t any. Last season, Wade helped push a team of young upstarts towards a playoff berth, something the Heat couldn’t quite realize without his expert mentorship and crafty contributions.
Even if Miami’s playoff dreams didn’t go as planned against the Sixers, seeing Wade compete in the post-season in Miami red will forever be a career defining moment.
It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. And Wade helped Miami close out 2018 right.