Dwyane Wade
Teams
Miami Heat - 2003-16, 2018-19
Chicago Bulls - 2016-17
Cleveland Cavaliers - 2017-18
Playoffs
Appearances - 13 (2004,2005,2006,2007,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2016,2017,2018)
Conference Finals - 6 (2005,2006,2011,2012,2013,2014)
NBA Finals - 5 (2006,2011,2012,2013,2014)
Championships - 3 (2006,2012,2013)
Awards and Honors
Finals MVP - 1 (2006)
All-NBA First Team - 2 (2005,2006,2009,2010)
All-NBA Second Team - 3 (2005,2006,2011)
All-NBA Third Team - 3 (2007,2012,2013)
*(actual in bold, deserved in italics)
All-Time Ranks
Total Steals - #32
Total Points - #35
Points Per Game - #38
Total Assists - #43
Steals Per Game - #79
Assists Per Game - #93
League Leads
Points Per Game (#1-2009, #4-2011, #5-2006,2010)
Total Steals (#2-2009, #5-2010)
Total Points (#1-2009, #3-2010)
Steals Per Game (#2-2009, #4-2010)
After averaging 21.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game as a junior at Marquette and leading the Golden Eagles to the Final Four, Dwyane Wade was selected by the Miami Heat with the #5 overall pick in 2003.
Wade had a strong rookie year, averaging 16.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, which would make him a frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year most year, but not when LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony are in the same class. Wade was able to lead Miami to the playoffs, and past the Hornets in the first round before falling to the top-seeded Pacers in the second round.
Miami traded for Shaquille O'Neal before Wade's second season, and the team shot straight to the top of the Eastern Conference. Wade averaged 24.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 6.8 assists on the season and was named to the All-NBA Second Team. He led the team to the Conference Finals, averaging 27.4 points per game to Shaq's 19.4, but they fell short of the Finals when Wade suffered a rib injury in Game 5 of that round, eventually falling in 7 games to the defending champion Pistons.
Wade continued to improve the next year, when he averaged 27.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game, which was his career high. This time, he led Miami all the way to the NBA Finals, where he put on a show. After falling behind 2-0, Wade scored at least 36 points in each of the remaining games, leading the Heat to the championship with averages of 34.7 points and 7.8 rebounds in the Finals, taking home the Finals MVP award as well.
Wade missed 31 games due to injury the next year, including a dislocated shoulder that caused him to miss 23 games, but he worked hard to return for the playoffs, which turned out to be short, as they lost in the first round to Chicago. He struggled with knee problems the next year, and ended up sitting out 31 games again, and Miami finished with the worst record in the league.
Wade was healthy in time for the 2008 Olympics, when he led the USA in scoring on its way to a gold medal, then continued his high level of play into the season. He led the league in scoring with 30.2 per game, and also averaged 5.0 rebounds and 7.5 assists, while leading the Heat back to the playoffs, a huge accomplishment for a team that won only 15 games the year before.
After another strong season from Wade that ended in another first-round playoff exit, Miami added LeBron James and Chris Bosh in free agency, and finished with the #2 record in the East. They made it all the way to the NBA Finals, but fell to Dallas in 6 games, with Wade outscoring James in the Finals 26.5 to 17.8.
Wade was still a star player in the next two seasons, averaging 22.1 and 21.2 points per game playing alongside LeBron, and Miami advanced to the NBA Finals both times, defeating Oklahoma City in 5 games in 2012 and the Spurs in 7 games in 2013 while Wade struggled somewhat with injuries.
The team started to rest Wade more in 2013-14, hoping to preserve him for the playoffs, and he averaged less than 20 points per game for the first time since his rookie year. Wade was able to turn it on again in the playoffs, helping Miami to their 4th straight Finals appearance, but this time they lost to San Antonio in a rematch.
LeBron left Miami after that season, leaving Wade to take on a bigger load again, and he averaged 21.5 points per game, but missed 20 games due to hamstring issues throughout the season, and Miami missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008. He played one more year with Miami, averaging 19.0 per game, before leaving to sign with his hometown Chicago Bulls as a free agent.
Wade averaged 18.3 points in his only season in Chicago, then reached a buyout agreement with the team to allow him to become a free agent and try to win another title. He signed with Cleveland to reunite with LeBron James, but was put on the bench, which made him unhappy, and he was traded at the deadline back to Miami for a future draft pick.
After his late-season acquisition, Wade decided to play one final season with the Heat before retiring. He agreed to take on a bench role, but still averaged 15.0 points per game, up from 11.4 the year before, and he closed out his career with a triple-double in his final game, only the 5th of his career.
Dwyane Wade was often overshadowed by more famous teammates during his career, whether it was Shaq early on or LeBron a little later, but Wade was definitely better than Shaq when he Heat had their two deep playoff runs and won their first title, and Wade definitely deserved his Finals MVP. He outplayed LeBron during their first playoff run together, though he was in more of a sidekick role during the second and third titles. He averaged over 20 points per game 10 times and led the league in scoring once, and is one of the best to ever play the game.
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