By: Fatima Roshni Image credit: Herald Tribune
Inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2023 class on Saturday night, Miami Heat legend Dwayne Wade with 16 seasons as part of the franchise, has now established himself among the NBA legends of today.
Following his induction, Dwayne appeared for an interview with Kevin Garnett on NBA TV, where he reflected on his past partnership with Shaquille O'Neal during their tenure with the Miami Heat.
Discussing his difficulty in cooperating with the Big Diesel at the initial stages of his trade in 2004, the main focus of the discussion was, however, on the nickname given to him by Shaquille.
Nicknamed 'The Flash', Dwayne's reaction to it was quite different at the start, which led him to have doubts and concerns over it but was later understood by him along with the meaning behind it.
He stated, “When he gave it to me I didn’t like it first. But he told the media and it started catching on. And I started to see what he saw. I was like ‘Man I am fast’. Then I bought into it.”
Dwayne's three-year partnership with Shaquille O'Neal in the Miami Heat held some of the finest moments, the most memorable one being their 2006 championship win against the Dallas Mavericks.
Recalling his friendship on the Club Shay Shay podcast two months before, Dwayne stated, “Shaq is a very honest man to me. Our relationship is a one-two punch. He came in and sat down just like this."
"He was like, Listen, Flash, this is your team; I’m gonna help you become one of the greatest to play this game, I wanna help you be a superstar. When I ask for the ball, throw it to this hand.”
“This Your Team, You the Man” – Shaquille O’Neal Threw His Ego Out the Window After Meeting Dwyane Wade at Miami Heat