Dwyane Wade has always been a player who has let his basketball speak for itself. A well-regarded figure both on and off the court, Wade truly left his mark on the NBA. During a 16-year career, Wade was a three-time champion, and 13-time All-Star. Wade is also 32nd on the NBA's all-time scoring list, with 23,165 career points. He is perhaps best remembered for his role in the "Big Three" alongside Chris Bosh and Lebron James. Wade was seen as a no-doubt first-ballot Hall of Famer upon his retirement. However, Wade remained active in basketball following his retirement, buying a minority sh in the Utah Jazz in 2021. Wade went as far as to call then-Jazz star Donovan Mitchell "Dwyane Wade 2.0".
Wade was officially named a Hall of Famer last week. However, he also has the distinction of being part of one of the all-time greatest Hall of Fame classes. Wade enters the Hall alongside legends such as Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker, Gregg Popovich, and Becky Hammon. Other inductees included the late Jim Valvano and the 1976 Women's Olympic Basketball Team. There are few single-year Hall of Fame classes that truly compete with those entering the Hall this year.
"Basketball Heaven"
Wade celebrated his induction on Instagram, posting a bevy of photos with the simple caption "I'm both humbled and honored to have made it to basketball heaven." The photos he included see Wade embracing his collegiate coach Shaka Smart; posing with Julius Erving; sharing a laugh with Gasol, Parker, and Nowitzski; and finally, a picture posing with Magic Johnson. The collection showcased the full scope of Dwyane Wade's career, from his time at Marquette to his dominance in the NBA. Marquette retired Wade's number 3 jersey in 2006. The Heat retired the same number in 2020.
Wade's simple but heartfelt message has garnered nearly 96,000 likes, speaking to the immense popularity of one of modern basketball's brightest stars. Fans across social media offered their congratulations to Wade upon his official announcement on April 1. Wade, alongside his fellow 2023 classmates, will be officially inducted into the Hall during the weekend of August 11th. Let us know what you think of his induction, in the comments down below.
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