Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr., a former American basketball player, had a notable career primarily with the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association for 16 years before retiring.
Wade is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players in history. Throughout his career, he has won numerous championships, awards, and honors.
Impressive recognition came in October 2021 when Dwyane was named one of the league’s greatest players of all time and selected to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. Additionally, his professional team, the Miami Heat, retired his jersey number, No. 3, as a tribute. Dwyane is currently the host of The Cube.
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- Full Name: Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr.
- Date of birth: January 17, 1982
- Place of birth: Illinois, Chicago, United States
- Nickname: D-Wade, Flash
- Religion: Christianity
- Nationality: American
- Ethnicity: African
- Education: Harold L. Richards High School, Marquette University
- Horoscope: The Pieces
- Father’s name: Dwyane Wade Sr.
- Mother’s name: JoLinda Wade
- Siblings: 4; Two half-siblings and an older sister Tragil Wade
- Age: 40 years old
- Height: 6 ft 4 in (1.93m)
- Weight: 100 kg (220 lb)
- Hair color: Black
- Eye color: Black
- Bodybuilding: Sports
- Occupation: Basketball player
- Current team: Retired
- Position: Shooting guard
- Years of operation: 2003 – 2019
- Marital Status: Married to Gabrielle Union
- Children: 4; Zada Wade, Kaavia James Union Wade, Zaire Blessing Dwyane Wade, Xavier Zecharia Wade
- Net worth: $170 million
- Social media: Instagram, Twitter
Early life
Dwyane Wade Jr., born January 17, 1982 in Chicago, United States, is the son of JoLinda Wade and Dwyane Wade Sr. Dwyane has an older sibling, Tragil Wade, and two half-siblings. He credits his older siblings with guiding him in the right direction throughout his growing up.
During his childhood, Dwyane had a difficult time as his parents divorced, resulting in his mother gaining custody of him and his younger sister. Unfortunately, his mother struggled with drug addiction and was frequently in and out of prison.
At the age of eight, Dwyane’s older sister left him with his father and stepmother, saying they were going to the movies. Although he still visited his mother occasionally, those visits ceased when his father and the family moved to Robbins, Illinois.
To protect himself from the lure of drugs and gangs, Dwyane immersed himself in sports, a decision that would prove pivotal in his life and earn him the gratitude of the basketball community.
As Dwyane’s basketball skills began to shine, his mother pledged to overcome her drug addiction and claims she has been sober since 2003.
Dwyane participated in both football and basketball during his high school years at Harold L. Richards High School in Oak Lawn, Chicago. Initially, he was better at football than basketball.
Through dedication and perseverance, Dwyane set records at his high school, scoring 676 points and making 106 steals.
Career
Dwyane Wade enrolled at Marquette University, where he trained under coach Tom Crean.
During his freshman year, Wade faced academic challenges that kept him from participating in games. However, through hard work and tutoring, he improved his grades and returned to the team his sophomore year.
Wade’s exceptional scoring skills contributed significantly to the success of the Marquette University team, surpassing their record since the 1993-94 season.
His stellar performance in the Midwest Regional Finals garnered national attention, earning him the Midwest Regional Most Valuable Player (MVP) honor.
Wade’s impressive performance caught the attention of NBA scouts, and he decided to forgo his senior year to enter the NBA draft. In 2003, he officially began his professional basketball career in the NBA.
Dwyane Wade | Retired
After a 16-year career playing for professional clubs Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers, talented player Dwyane Wade announced his retirement in 2019 at the age of 39.
In 2020, Wade’s professional team, the Miami Heat, honored him by retiring his No. 3 jersey.
It is worth noting that Wade has become the fifth player in Miami Heat history to receive the honor of retiring his jersey.
His retirement was commemorated with a week-long celebration, including three nights of festivities and tributes.
Dwyane Wade | Awards, Honors and Stats
- 3-time NBA champion: 2006, 2012, 2013
- NBA Finals Most Valuable Player: 2006
- NBA Scoring Champion: 2009
- NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player: 2010
- 13× NBA All-Star: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019
- 8× All NBA:
Team 1: 2009, 2010Team 2: 2005, 2006, 2011Team 3: 2007, 2012, 2013
Second Team: 2005, 2009, 2010
- NBA All-Rookie Team: 2004
- NBA Skills Challenge Champion: 2006, 2007
- Gold Medal with Team USA: 2008 Summer Olympics
- Bronze Medal with Team USA: 2004 Summer Olympics
- Bronze Medal with Team USA: 2006 FIBA World Championship
- Miami Heat’s All-Time Leading Scorer
- Miami Heat lead in all-time assists
- ESPY Award for Breakthrough Athlete of the Year 2005
- 2006 ESPY NBA Player of the Year Award
- Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year 2006
- Sporting News Athlete of the Year 2006
- Wade won the NBA Community Assistance Award for the 2012–13 season.
Social media
- Instagram: @dwyanewade
- Twitter: @DwyaneWade
Personal life
Dwyane Wade married his high school sweetheart, Siohvaughn Funches, in 2002. Unfortunately, their relationship hit a rough patch, and they split in 2007, leading to a lengthy legal battle and eventually a divorce in 2011.
Wade was granted sole custody of their two children and took on the responsibility of raising his nephew. In 2008, he began dating Gabrielle Union, who would later become his wife.
Although they briefly split in 2013, Wade had a child with Aja Metoyer during that time. However, Wade and Union reconciled and got engaged in late 2013. They sealed their love in 2014 with a wedding. In 2020, Wade’s 12-year-old child came out as transgender and changed her name to Zaya. Additionally, Wade and Union became parents in 2018 via surrogacy, welcoming a baby girl into their lives.
In addition to his basketball career, Wade has partnered with brands such as Gatorade, Staples, Sean John, T-Mobile, Topps, and Lincoln. He was also recognized as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2020.
Net worth
With a net worth of $140 million, Wade is actively involved in charitable causes through his foundation, The Wade’s World Foundation, making a positive impact on the lives of many others.
