Dwyane Wade was recently interviewed and made some bold claims regarding his position and legacy among the greatest players in the history of the NBA. To the newer fans who might not be aware, Wade is a former star who spent the majority of his career playing for the Miami Heat.
Throughout his career, Wade established himself as one of the top shooting guards in league history and even managed to win 3 NBA championships with the Heat. Dwyane recently discussed what his true ceiling and potential could have been. He also spoke on the factors that held him back. Since this should certainly be a matter of interest for fans, a deeper look is required.
Dwyane Wade believes he could have been in the GOAT conversation
Dwyane Wade entered the league at the same time as LeBron James and quickly established himself as one of the top guards in the league. While fans still consider him a top shooting guard, Wade revealed that injuries robbed him of unlocking his true potential. The former Heat star went far enough to claim that he would have been included in the GOAT conversation if he had never dealt with multiple knee injuries.
“I did so many things in the game of basketball. So yeah when I had it I had it. I thought I was going to be…..Before injuries ‘I’m like MJ I’m coming for you.’ Nah I mean that was my mentality. I thought I was coming for MJ. I thought I was going to be the greatest because I figured it out very early in the league.”
Dwyane Wade says he feels like he was coming for Michael Jordan’s throne if injuries hadn’t held him back 👀
(🎥 @7PMinBrooklyn / h/t @WheelerJaylen )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 19, 2024
Dwayne Wade was able to do many different things on the court and was considered quite all-rounded. Many fans who heard his claims agreed with him and pointed out that those who were denying it were in some form of denial or ignorance, “Kids never seen 2006 wade and it shows.”
Kids never seen 2006 wade and it shows
— KEE⚡️ (@playoffskee) July 19, 2024
Prime D Wade was special. He was on Kobe and LeBron’s level 💯 pic.twitter.com/eRTzh7SCe8
— 30🅿️roblemz (@30problemz) July 19, 2024
Given that 2006 was almost 2 decades ago and well beyond most people’s memories, one should wonder what D-Wade was able to accomplish that season.
Dwyane Wade won the NBA Finals MVP award during his third year in the league
It is incredibly rare for a star to win an NBA championship during his 3rd year in the league. After all, even Michael Jordan and LeBron James took almost a decade to win their first championship. However, things were different for Wade due to the fact that the Heat acquired Shaquille O’Neal and instantly became title contenders.
The Heat matched up against the Dallas Mavericks in the 2006 NBA Finals and went down 0-2 in the series. Wade stepped up in Game 3 and singlehandedly carried the Heat to victory by scoring 42 points and 13 rebounds. Given that even Shaq had just 18 points and 11 rebounds, one can understand why Wade was given the Finals MVP award.
Much like Derrick Rose and several other NBA stars, Wade was never able to fully display his prime due to injuries. Be that as it may, there is no denying that he had a better career when compared to the vast majority of stars to have played in the league.