Dwyane Wade
| File:Dwyane871.jpg | |
| Miami Heat | |
|---|---|
| Position | Shooting guard |
| Personal information | |
| Born | January 17, 1982 Chicago, Illinois |
| Nationality | USA |
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Listed weight | 212 lb (96 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Marquette |
| NBA draft | 2003: 5th overall |
| Playing career | 2003–present |
| Career highlights | |
| NBA Finals MVP (2006) | |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr., also known as Flash or D-Wade, (born January 17, 1982), is an American professional basketball player, currently playing for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association.
Early life
Dwyane Wade was born on the south side of Chicago, Illinois. He attended Richards High School in Oak Lawn. He cites his older sister as the individual most responsible for his childhood upbringing and for steering him in the proper direction. His parents divorced shortly after he was born.
College
Wade played collegiately for Marquette University in Milwaukee. In Wade's first year at Marquette, he did not play because of academics. When Wade became eligible his sophomore year, 2001-2002, he led the Golden Eagles in scoring with 17.8 PPG, as well as averaging 6.6 rebounds per game and 3.4 assists per game, leading Marquette to a 26-7 record, the school's best record since the 1993-1994 season. The following year, Wade led Marquette in scoring again with 21.5 PPG, as he led Marquette to a 27-6 record and the school's first and only Conference USA championship, and powered the Golden Eagles to the Final Four in 2003, the school's first appearence in the Final Four since 1977. Perhaps his most memorable collegiate moment came in the 2003 Midwest Regional Final in the NCAA Tournament in Minneapolis. Against heavily favored, top-ranked and top-seeded Kentucky, Wade recorded a rare triple-double, recording 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists, including 4 blocks and a steal on defense to lead Marquette over the Wildcats 83-69 and into the Final Four. Wade was only the fourth player in NCAA Men's Tournament history to record a triple-double, after Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, and Andre Miller. Marquette finished the season ranked #6 in the AP poll, the school's highest ranking since the 1977-1978 season.
Wade's strong play in the tournament caused his draft stock to increase significantly, and he subsequently elected to forgo his senior year at Marquette.
NBA
Selected fifth overall in the 2003 NBA Draft, Wade quickly emerged as a star on a relatively young Miami Heat team after averaging better than 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists in his rookie season. He further distinguished himself with outstanding performances in the 2004 NBA Playoffs, particularly against the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. In the end, however, Wade's successful rookie season was still somewhat overshadowed by the hype surrounding fellow rookie phenomenons LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. He still was able to earn unanimous selection to the NBA 2004 All-Rookie team, and also finished 3rd in rookie of the year voting (behind James and Anthony). He also ranked in the top five among rookies in six major statistical categories, ranked second in field goal percentage, second in steals, third in scoring, third in efficiency rating (15.26), fourth in assists, fourth in minutes, seventh in blocks per game, 11th in rebounds per game, and 12th in free throw percentage.
| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's Basketball | ||
 |
2004 Athens Olympics | United States |
As a testimony to his success, Wade was chosen as a member of the 2004 USA basketball team during the 2004 offseason. However, he had a limited role as most of the playing time was given to more experienced veterans. But with his defense, he was considered one of the few bright spots on a team that otherwise performed poorly by the standards of U.S. Olympics basketball, eventually finishing with the bronze medal. Wade averaged 7.3 points and 17.5 minutes in the eight games that the USA played in the Olympics. He also earned himself a number two rating in registering steals against Olympic opponents, averaging slightly more than two per game.
Shaquille O'Neal was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Heat in the summer before Wade's second season. Wade's scoring average, assists, and rebounding totals increased considerably in his second season with the Heat, and he quickly emerged as a rising superstar in the league. He was elected to his first NBA All-Star Game in Denver and came off the bench to score 14 points in leading the East to a 125-115 win. Compared to the previous year, the Miami Heat under Wade and O'Neal improved by 17 games, from a 42-40 record in the 2003-2004 season, to an Eastern Conference-best 59-23 record in 2004-2005.
In the first round of the 2005 NBA Playoffs (a sweep of the New Jersey Nets), Wade became only the seventh player in league history to average at least 25 points, eight assists and six rebounds while making half his shots in a playoff series, averaging 26.3 points, 8.8 assists, and 6.0 rebounds at 50% field-goal shooting (the other players to accomplish this are all members of the Basketball Hall of Fame: Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan). Amazingly, Wade accomplished this feat once again in the 2nd round playoffs sweep of the Washington Wizards. Despite the Game 7 loss to Detroit in the Conference Finals, Wade scored 40 and 36 points Games 2 and 3 respectively. Wade has played in the Conference Finals with sinusitis, flu, knee strain,...
In the 2005-2006 NBA season, Wade was elected to his second All-Star Game in 2006, in which he made the game winning put-back of the Philadelphia 76ers' Allen Iverson's missed shot. Wade finished the 2005-2006 regular season averaging 27.2 points, 6.7 assists, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.95 steals per game.
Against the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 2006 NBA Playoffs, Wade shook off a few close scares, including a severely bruised hip in Game 5. Returning late in the half to the surprise of all, Wade resurrected his team by scoring 15 of his 28 points while suffering from intense pain, leading the Heat to the much-needed 3-2 series lead. After this, Wade successfully led his team to the 2006 NBA Finals, despite suffering from flu-like symptoms in game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons. He put up a double-double with 14 points and 10 assists in that game.
In his first trip to the NBA Finals, in which the Miami Heat would face off with Dirk Nowitzki's Dallas Mavericks, Wade continued to display his brilliance. His performance in games three, four, and five, in which he scored 42, 36, and 43 points, respectively, brought the Miami Heat back from a 2-0 deficit to lead the series at 3 games to 2. Wade's Game 3 performance was especially memorable; Wade finished with 42 points (tying his career playoff high) and 13 rebounds (playoff career high). 15 of his 42 points came in the 4th quarter, in which the Heat erased a 13 point deficit, including a go-ahead jumper by NBA veteran Gary Payton that sealed the win. His Game 5 performance was even better, as he set the NBA finals record by scoring 21 of 25 free throws, including the game-winning shots in overtime where he demonstrated calm and mental toughness. He has, especially through-out games 3 and 5, demonstrated that he can be an extremely valuable "clutch" player. Wade and the Heat went on to win Game 6, taking the 2006 Finals series 4-2, and he was presented with the Finals MVP trophy.
Wade was recently named to the USA Men's Basketball National Team from 2006-2008. The team will compete in the 2006 World Championships in Japan, and the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing (if necessary, the team will also compete at the Tournament of Americas Olympic Qualifiers in 2007).
Player profile
As of 2006, Wade is considered as one of the league's most versatile and feared players. On offense, the Flash has established himself as one of the quickest and most unguardable players in the NBA, scoring 27.2 points in the 2005-06 regular season on an impressive .495 FG average and seemingly getting to the line at will, ranking at #1 for free-throw attempts per 48 minutes. Wade also has an eye for his teammates, as his 6.1 average career assists show. In addition, he also has impressive ball handling skills, proven when he won the 2006 PlayStation Skills Contest. After winning the NBA Finals MVP 2005-06, he is also widely recognised as one of the game's premier clutch players.
On his own half of the court, he is known as a decent defender: he was nominated to the 2004-05 All-Defensive 2nd Team and narrowly missed another call-up the next year. He is particularly known for his stealing abilities, as he is ranked #6 in steals per game in the 2005-06 season.
Wade's main drawback seems to be his relatively high turnover rate. He was second-worst in this statistic, with 3.57 TOs per game in 2005-06, only "topped" by Gilbert Arenas. In addition, a lifetime .769 average on free throws is considered merely average for a guard.
However, Wade is widely considered to be an elite player, being a two-time All-Star and a Finals MVP. Along with his peers LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, Wade is frequently compared to NBA legend Michael Jordan.
Off-court
The success of the Heat's 2005 playoff run and Wade's impressive performances with Shaquille O' Neal hampered by injury led to an explosion of media attention and popularity for the budding superstar. Entrepreneur Sean "Diddy" Combs signed him to a model contract to his Sean John clothing company, and Wade also appeared on the cover of EA Sports' NBA Live 2006 video game. In 2006, GQ magazine described him as "the best dressed player in the NBA." He is currently signed with the Heat through 2006-07. In 2005, he became the second ever Miami Heat player to be chosen as one of People Magazine's 50 most beautiful people. (The other was Alonzo Mourning.) In what was perhaps the best example of Wade's rising popularity, he finished #1 in jersey sales for the 2005-2006 season. [1] Wade also endorses for Converse, which has made shoes under his name.
Wade is also among the American Christian adults who tithe, according to the Sun Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Wade gave 10% of his $2.6 million salary this season to the Blood Water & the Spirit Ministry on South Prairie Avenue on Chicago's southside. Wade was a tither before he started playing in the NBA.
With his sponsership with Converse, a commercial has been released stating fall down 7 times, get up 8. When people think about it this can't happen at all.
A strong advocate for literacy, Wade encouraged children to read his favorite novel, Pride and Prejudice, as well as other literary classics. In his words, "It's one of my favorite books, which usually surprises people. I guess they wonder how a love story from Regency England could be relevant to a 21st century basketball player from the Southside of Chicago. Class struggle, overcoming stereotypes and humble beginnings, getting out of your own way and letting love take over: these are things I can relate to, definitely."
Awards/honors
NBA highlights
- NBA Champion: 2006
- NBA Finals MVP: 2006
- 2-time NBA All-Star: 2005, 2006
- 2-time All-NBA:
- Second Team: 2005, 2006
- All-Defense:
- Second Team: 2005
- NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2004
- NBA All-Star Skills Challenge Champion 2006
- Fifth in points per game (27.2): 2006
- Tenth in assists per game (6.7): 2006
- Sixth in steals per game (1.95): 2006
- One of two players in 2005-06 (along with the Philadelphia 76ers' Allen Iverson) who were in the top ten in points, assists and steals per game: 2006
- First player of the 2003 NBA Draft class since Darko Milicic to make an appearance in the Finals and win an NBA championship: 2006
NBA milestones
- One of only seven players in NBA history to average 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists while shooting 50% or more from the field in a playoff series (the others are Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan). Wade completed this task in two consecutive series in the 2005 playoffs.
- Only player in NBA history to ever average at least 30 points on 69.5 field goal percentage for four consecutive NBA playoff series games. The last record was held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with 63%. He did it with less than 20 field goal attempts per game.
- One of five youngest players (alongside Magic Johnson and Rick Barry) in NBA history to score atleast 40 points in an NBA finals game. Wade did it with 42 points and 14-26 from the field.
- Holds the NBA record for most postseason points scored over the first three years in the league (1,272). And is one of only 4 players (Baylor, West, Abdul-Jabbar) to score at least 1,000.
- Holds the record for most free throws made in an NBA finals game with 21. (June 18th, 2006 vs. Dallas Mavericks)
- Third best (behind Allen Iverson, and Jerry West) first NBA finals appearance points per game with 34.7
- Second most points scored ever in an NBA finals series behind Jerry West.
Miami Heat franchise records
- Most consecutive games, 10 points or more: 76 (April 15, 2005 – April 8, 2006) [2]
- Most consecutive points scored, game: 17 (February 12, 2006 vs. Detroit Pistons)
- Most points, game, playoffs: 43 (Game 5, 2006 NBA Finals vs. Dallas Mavericks)
- Most points, quarter, playoffs: 22 (Game 4, 2005 Eastern Conference Semifinals vs. Washington Wizards)
- Most assists, game, playoffs: 15 (Game 2, 2005 Eastern Conference Semifinals vs. Washington Wizards)
- Most consecutive 20 point games by a rookie: 6 (December 14–23, 2003) [3]