Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade: biography

Wade’s full name is Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr. He is the native of Chicago. He was born there in 1982. Dwyane is a former basketball player. He is a legend of Miami Heat, keeping a lot of team’s records. He was playing in the NBA since 2003. Last season he ended his professional basketball career. Former shoot guard is a three-time NBA championship winner with Miami Heat (2006, 2012, 2013).

He is an Olympic champion in the national team. Wade brings up three sons, a daughter, and a nephew. He pays a lot of time and energy to charity and religion. Currently, Wade has his own online clothing shop. Wade’s net worth is considered to be about $95-$115 million.

Quick bio

The birthplace of Wade Jr. is Chicago. He was born on January 17, 1982. His father, Dwyane Wade Sr, and mother, JoLinda, could not provide a boy with a happy childhood. Wade Sr. left the family when Wade Jr. was only four months old. JoLinda was forced to bring up two children besides the Dwyane. As a kid, he was involved in his mother’s drug affairs.

Their family was connected to Chicago’s crime. The police came to them several times, suspecting his mother was selling drugs. And it was so. Due to financial problems and the need to feed children, JoLinda started dealing drugs. Moreover, she was alcohol, drug, and cigarettes addict herself.

She was not even embarrassed by the presence of children when she had fun with her friends in their house. Little Dwyane found needles all over the house. At the age of eight, Tragil, the elder sister of Dwyane, deceived him and brought him to live with his father instead of going to the cinema. Wade Jr. lived with his father, whom he almost didn’t know, and his father’s wife. A year later, they moved to Robbins. And a boy couldn’t see his mother for two years, until talking with her at the jail.

It's hard to believe that Dwyane could follow the right way and didn’t become a criminal. Wade thanks for this sport and his elder sister. Despite all their problems, Dwyane’s parents often took him to the park, where a young boy was playing basketball. As any Chicago citizen, he was a fan of Chicago Bulls, and he adored Michael Jordan. As it usually happens, playing the basketball, a boy imagined himself as Jordan and tried to repeat his crown movements. However, at High School, Dwyane first was a successful football player. His height didn’t allow him to take enough playing time at the school’s basketball team.

Everything changed in summer when he grew four inches. Next season he set school records for steals and points. Dwyane didn’t get high marks at school, and this fact prevented him from relying on a prestigious college. Wade had only three options and chose to enroll at Marquette University. Dwyane was often deceived as a child, and JoLinda continued doing it even during his adult life. In October 2001, she promised a son to stop taking drugs, however at Christmas, told Wade that would go back in prison again.

Professional basketball career

After entering Marquette University, Wade couldn’t play with the college’s team, because of his low grades in studies. In the NCAA, there is a rule, that doesn’t allow students to participate in college athletic competitions if they don’t have the received level of academic standards. Wade was searching for a tutor, who could help him to improve his writing skills. He managed to do it. NCAA allowed him to compete in the season 2001-02. It was Wade’s first serious basketball year. The Golden Eagles showed the university’s best result since 1994. Wade helped the team to achieve 26-7 that season.

The next year Wade became the champion. It is still the first and the only win of the university. Thanks to his outstanding game and high results, Dwyane was chosen to the dream team of the year. Next season he could make a fourth triple-double of NCAA’s history. He was named MVP of the finals. The press predicted him a high number at NBA draft that year, and Wade decided to take part in it. This decision interrupted his university studies. Now he is the only basketball player in the history of Marquette, who didn’t graduate, but has a jersey retirement honor.

NBA career

Starting as the fifth number of 2003 NBA draft, he spent a good first year with Miami Heat. He was a unanimous selection to the 2004 NBA All-Rookie team. With the arrival of Shaquille O'Neal, Wade improved his statistics. In 2006, Wade gave an impressive performance in the NBA finals against the Dallas Mavericks with Dirk Nowitzki, earning the honor of the NBA finals MVP.

After a series of operations to repair shoulder and knee injuries, Wade emerged for another strong season in 2008. Averaging 30.2 points per game, he earned his first NBA scoring title. In 2010, Wade signed again with the Heat, joining new teammates Chris Bosh and LeBron James. Although the Heat lost the 2010-11 NBA finals to the Mavericks, the trio proved to be very strong during the season. In 2012, they won the finals. It was Wade's second NBA Championship win and the first for Bosh and James.

In 2012 NBA All-Star Game Dwyane became the third player, who recorded triple-double, joining James and Jordan. He played with Paul Pierce, LeBron James against Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin, and Kevin Durant.

The following year gave Wade his third NBA Championship win. The 2013-14 season the Heat lost NBA Finals to Spurs. Wade missed the next season, playing in the postseason after tending to several injuries. In 2016 the Bulls signed Wade on a two-year deal. Their team with Jimmy Butler and Rajon Rondo lost the first playoff round. In September 2017, Wade reunited with LeBron in Cleveland. It was a great fail. Wade couldn’t demonstrate his best skills and took a bench role.

A series of Wade’s transitions continued in February 2018, when he returned to Miami Heat. During 2018-19 season Wade prepared for life after basketball. He admitted that he intends to speak to a therapist after he moves into retirement. Wade even appeared with braids at one of his last games. In February, Wade called James Harden "one of the most unguardable players" of all time after he inspired the Rockets to a victory over the Heat. Then Wade hit an improbable buzzer-beater against the Warriors that was nothing short of otherworldly.

Dwyane Wade made his final home game on April 9 to remember by crashing into the laps of model Chrissy Teigen and her musician husband, John Legend. The following night he spent his final career game in Brooklyn. All in all, he spent 14 years in red suit of Miami Heat. All the above mentioned allows calling Dwyane Wade one of the greatest basketball players. And you can see this by looking at his top 10 plays of career or learning stats about his top scoring games.

National team career

Wade became a member of US national team in 2004. That year he played with his future Miami partner LeBron James, Allen Iverson, and Carmelo Anthony. In 2006 the national team became only third in FIBA World Championship. Dwyane missed 2007 because of injury, however, helped the national team to win the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Personal life

The first wife of Dwyane was Siohvaughn Funches. They were married in 2002 – 2010. Their divorce proceedings lasted for three years (2007-2010). The couple had two sons, and in 2011 Wade received sole custody of them. In 2009 he met Gabrielle Union. They married in 2014. Dwyane and Gabrielle have a baby, born via surrogate in 2018.

Moreover, Dwyane has one more child. While being dating with Union, there was a period when they broke up. At that time, Wade became a father once more. So, he is a father of three sons and a daughter. Also, he is bringing up his nephew.

As any NBA star, Wade was involved in advertising campaigns, presenting different sports brands. He had his own shoe line and covered a lot of magazines. His dangerous child became a reason for the foundation of a charity organization in 2003. Since then, he supported various social programs. Moved from Robbins, Illinois, Wade didn’t forget about the city. In 2009 he saved the local public library from closing through donations. After retirement, Dwyane attended the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Later he was a surprise commencement speaker at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School class of 2019 graduation.

At present, Dwyane Wade's net worth is $120 million.

Awards and honors

• 3× NBA champion: 2006, 2012, 2013
• NBA Finals MVP: 2006
• NBA scoring champion: 2009
• NBA All-Star Game MVP: 2010
• 13× NBA All-Star: 2005-2016, 2019
• NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2004
• With Team USA: Gold medal (2008), Bronze medal (2004, 2006)
• Miami Heat all-time leading scorer and assists leader