To celebrate Dwyane Wade’s enshrinement in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, this week at All U Can Heat is “Dwyane Wade Week.” Each day, we will celebrate his career, rank his greatest performances and break down the biggest moments.
Esteemed icon and former Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade has always recognized that winning championships took more than individual ability and power — it was about tenacity and great teamwork. As such, the players around Wade were one of the keys to his success in the NBA.
Wade quickly established himself as one of the league’s premier players after being selected by the Heat with the fifth pick of the 2003 draft, and the franchise quickly went to work to build great teams around him.
Dwyane Wade’s career accomplishments
- 13-time All-Star
- Eight All-NBA team selections
- Three-time member of the All-Defensive Team
- Two-time Olympian for Team USA (Bronze in 2004, Gold in 2008 as the team’s leading scorer)
- Three championships (2006, 2012, 2013)
In honor of Wade’s induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday, we break down his top five Heat and how they contributed to his accomplishments.
1. Udonis Haslem (2003-2023)
Wade is quick to call Udonis Haslem his favorite teammate of all time. This makes total sense as Haslem has always been the heart and soul of the Heat, and a mentor to so many. He and Wade developed an unbreakable bond both on and off the court after playing over 800 games together over 16 years. In an appearance on the “I Am Athlete” podcast, Wade discussed his relationship with Haslem, who he entered the league with in 2003.
"“We started building a brotherhood. So obviously we got closer, and we won championships together you know I mean we did all that but like off the court I ain’t never had to worry about nothing in Miami because it’s like “Yo UD got me.”"
Over the past 20 years, Haslem and Wade have become one of the NBA’s most well-known duos. Haslem brought leadership, toughness and IQ to the game and proved to be an incredibly important part of the franchise and of Wade’s career.
Haslem gets points for longevity. Next to Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant, he is one of only three players to play 20 years for a single franchise. Together, Wade and Haslem are the only players to have won three championships with the Heat.