Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade is headed to the Hall of Fame

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In case you missed it, Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade is officially a candidate for the 2023 Basketball Hall of Fame. Wade was among several former NBA stars selected as candidates. The Heat legend delivered Miami’s first championship in 2006, and later went on to win two more in 2012 and 2013. He has been a key part in each championship run and is arguably considered the greatest Heat player. The accolades that Wade has throughout his career speak for themselves. He’s a 13-time NBA-AllStar, Three-time NBA Champion, 2006 Finals MVP, Eight-time All-NBA Player, and Olympic Gold Medalist.

The Beginning

When discussing the top three shooting guards of all-time, you have to put Wade in after Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Without Wade, Miami wouldn’t have won their first championship in 2006. Trailing 0-2 in the series, Wade led a huge turnaround to win the series 4-2. It was arguably one of the greatest finals performances in the NBA history. The Dallas Mavericks had no answer for him. Wade constantly attacked the paint and drew fouls. When the Mavericks forced him into jumpers, Wade may them pay.

The following couple of years were filled with underachieving seasons for Miami. However, Wade still put up great individual performances. Every year, he was an All-Star player, All-NBA talent, and was in the conversation for league MVP in 2009. In that same year, Wade was also the league’s leading scorer, averaging 30.2 points per game. He was still one of, if not the best shot blocking guard in history. Despite the years without championships, Wade still kept the Heat relevant during those few years.

Miami Heat Big Three Era

Next came the Big Three era, when Lebron James and Chris Bosh decided to join Wade in Miami. Wade played a huge role in recruiting to two stars to join him in Miami. The Big Three spent four seasons together, winning two NBA championships. The following years, we began to see a decline in Wade’s athleticism. Wade also was dealing with multiple of injuries as well. Still, the Heat guard was productive. Even though the athleticism was declining, Wade used his basketball IQ and craftiness to his advantage. He still provided clutch moments for Miami and many memorable memories. Remember the “Purple Shirt Guy Game?”

One Last Dance

Yes, Wade had some short stints with the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers. If you’re a longtime Heat fan or Wade fan, those are memories you would rather forget. But Wade found his way back to Miami in 2018. He was back in the place where it all started. A place that meant the most to him. The following season was his final NBA season, which was labeled as “One Last Dance.” Now, Wade can finally close his career, with a lock in the 2023 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He will join other greats like Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, and coach Gregg Popovich.

As always, Thank You for Everything D-Wade!