NBA
Dwyane Wade’s Last Dance
Dwyane Wade, 36, announced via social media that he will make a return for his 16th and final NBA season. After the Philadelphia 76ers knocked out the Miami Heat in the first round of the 2018 NBA playoffs, questions began almost immediately if Wade was going to hang up his sneakers for good. He stated he needed to take some time to figure out what would come next in his life. Would he return for another season, or would he look towards his new journey of becoming a Hall of Famer? Four long months later, the three-time NBA champion made it official that he has one last run in him.
Wade stood alone in a dark room and looked into a camera to talk about his difficult decision for ten minutes. Emotions were running high as he choked up at times announcing what he called the “hardest decision of his life.”
One More Season
“I’ve always did things my way,” said Wade. “Whether they’ve been good or whether they’ve been bad, I got here because I’ve done things the way that I feel is right for me and right for my family. And what I feel is right — I feel it’s right to ask you guys to join me for one last dance, for one last season.
“This is it. I’ve given this game everything that I have, and I’m happy about that, and I’m going to give it for one last season, everything else I have left.”
Wade will continue to add to his Hall of Fame career and suit up for the Heat one last time.
Accolades
Wade has shattered every record in the Heat’s all-time franchise record books. He ranks first in franchise history in games played, minutes, points, assists, steals, field goals made and attempted. He’s also first in Heat franchise history in free throws made and attempted.
The accolades don’t stop there. According to Basketball-Reference.com, he’s 31st on the all-time NBA scoring list, 35th in steals and 50th in assists, standing as one of seven players ever to log at least 22,000 points, 5,000 assists, 4,500 rebounds and 1,500 steals in a career. Wade is in great company with others such as: LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Clyde Drexler, Karl Malone, and Kevin Garnett.
Playing the Waiting Game
Wade’s possible retirement was growing a lot of attention this off-season, especially with the Heat being one week away from beginning training camp. ‘Twenty’ is the magical number for preseason allotment, and the Heat had signed 19 players for camp already. Hmm..I wonder why they were one player shy? The Heat had that spot reserved all along for their franchise star.
Yet it was no guarantee that Wade would make a return to South Beach this season. Wade had a few brief, temporary teams outside of South Beach — a single-season with his hometown Chicago Bulls, due to some tension with Heat president Pat Riley. And a half-season with old teammate and best friend LeBron James.
Wade was welcomed with open arms last February in a trade back to the Heat. After his return, he made sure everyone knew that Miami was his final stop. He also stated that once the season ended that he was either returning or calling it quits.
Questions began to rumble as Wade’s return left him in a different role than before. Wade would come off the bench for the first time in a Heat uniform due to an already crowded backcourt. Young rotation players like Josh Richardson, Tyler Johnson, Wayne Ellington and Rodney McGruder made it hard for him to be the starter. Regardless, of having a different role this go round with the Heat, Wade still seen plenty of minutes on the floor.
Self-Doubt?
The decision took longer than many expected as Wade contemplated about his life away from basketball. Wade wanted to make the right decision that would benefit not only himself but also his family. It also took sometime for the Heat to figure out what would make sense for both parties to come to an agreement. Miami Head coach Erik Spoelstra and others apart of the Heat organization had many talks with the 12-time all star while he struggled making his decision.
Apparently the right words were said.
“Can I physically do it? Can I physically get out of bed every day to do this? Can I deal with every step hurting in the morning? Can I deal with the travel? Can I be away from my family? Is it selfish for me to want to continue to be away from my family?” Wade said, reeling off a list of questions that he pondered when making the decision.
Will Wade’s body be able to handle another 82 game season? (not including the playoffs) With this being his last season, will he get more minutes than last year? Or fewer because of what his body can handle to last the entire year? We will have to wait and see what Wade, and the coaching staff decide as the season plays out.
The Heat basically has the same core as last season with their 44-38 record which placed them as the 6th seed in the Eastern playoffs
The Bigger Picture
“These things to you guys may seem small,” Wade said. “But to me, they’re real. I feel like my family have put me first for so many years, for good reasons. But there comes a point in time when we’ve all got to think about someone else, especially the ones around you that have supported you, supported your dreams, supported your journey like my family have.”
On February 14, there was a massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that left seventeen people dead. Wade would become heavily involved as a student and heat fan named Joaquin Oliver was killed. Oliver’s parents buried their son in a Wade jersey.
Wade not only dealt with the sadness of Oliver and other victims from the massacre but also from the death of his longtime agent Henry Thomas.
“When I lost Hank, I lost a part of me,” Wade said, wiping away tears.
The game is not the same without Henry around anymore for Wade. This being part of the reason he is deciding it’s time for one last run or “dance” as he calls it. It was always Miami or nowhere. Well, we know which one it is now, at least for one more year. Wade is expected to sign a one-year, $2.4 million deal later this week.
“Let’s enjoy it,” Wade said. “Let’s have some joy through this last season. Let’s push this young team over the hump and let’s write our own story to the end of this career, together. Together.”
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