The biggest thing … you have to have a foundation of who you are. For me, I wanted to be a good person, wanted people to walk away from meeting me … feeling better about themselves. So just understand who you are and who you want to become, and strive to be that. Justin Tinsley is a culture and sports writer for The Undefeated. Up Next. Dwyane Wade posing for Esquire Magazine. Up Next From Sports. By Justin Tinsley JustinTinsley. Twitter Facebook Email. Get our For the Culture newsletter in your inbox You are now subscribed!
Sign me up. I'm tired of the same hotel. I'm done. Someone always told me when you feel like you're ready to retire, play another season. And even though I didn't want to, I ended up playing another year and that really let me get it all out. So I really don't have any look-back in me for basketball.
How has that helped the transition, then? The tank is empty. And even though you say, "Oh, you still could play a little bit," the mental tank was empty a long time ago. The physical tank is the love, the heartbeat of the game. That's still there. But everything else around it is gone. I remember when Kobe wrote that letter to the game of basketball on his way out. He talked about how his heart can take it, but his body couldn't anymore.
My body was tired. It's tired, and I have nothing else to prove. I'm not making 20, 30 million no more, on my last year I was on a minimum.
So I was like, let me go do something else. Let me go be present. Let me go create something else. When you say present, you mean present in those family moments? Yeah, my family moments that I talk about in the doc a little bit. My daughter [ Kaavia James Union Wade ] was my push. I came into the NBA and [my oldest son] Zaire was roughly the same age that my daughter is now.
Zaire's 18 now, right? I came in with a little one and that was my purpose and that was my why. And I went out with a little one and that was my purpose and that was my why to leave the game. Zaire was born when you were still young and at Marquette, and you played incredibly that year after he was born.
Then you went through a contentious custody battle when you were playing some of the best basketball of your career on the Heat.
The way the documentary juxtaposes those things suggest the off court happenings are linked to the on-court performance. How much of a link do you think there actually was?
It's always been my sanctuary, and at that moment it became even more of my outlet. Going through a very public divorce, a very public, messy, custody battle, you just want to get it out. You need to get that anger out. So I turned into that beast on the court. I took it out on my opponents. Because I didn't publicly talk about it a lot. The plan of the game was the part that allowed me to yell and scream. I wanted to do it at home.
But I did it on the court. In when you won the championship, did that feel like the ending of something or the beginning of something? It felt like the ending of losing. I always got there. So I finally got over that hurdle. But it was a brand new beginning of my life —or my new life. After we won a championship, my old life left. And it was a whole different journey after that.
And it still is. And then the expectations really started. Now you've set a standard for yourself and got to live up to that standard every time you step out on the floor. Miami and Los Angeles Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers. I wanted to step into the culture and be the voice for my culture for minorities, period. This is not professional. He did it all. He still looks good.
Stop getting me in trouble people. Is there any chance Wade could be inspired to play one more season with James after watching their sons team up for one season? Never say never. I just want to stay around it and be as involved as I can. It would only be for the HEAT!
The two networks are preparing pitches for the just-retired Wade to be a studio analyst later in the current playoffs. Dwyane Wade finishes with 30 points on of shooting in 35 minutes. But Heat eliminated from playoff contention. Then he did a jersey swap with Zaire, who gave him a No.
More time with his wife, Gabrielle Union-Wade, more time with his son Zaire during his senior season of high school basketball, more moments with his son Zion and more diaper changes with his months-old daughter Kaavia.
And more free time in the city he has become forever linked to. I have no idea what it is yet that I want to do. But, I want to do a little bit of everything. I want to see what I can be great at. Especially in the beginning, I want to see what I can be great at.
It is going to be cool to be able to see their careers blossom and grow and always be a sounding board and always be a friend. I look forward to seeing what the next 15 years are like for these guys. When I played here in college, I had the opportunity to play here, the coaches versus cancer classic, it was just immediately that feel. That feel was there. Getting the opportunity to come and play in the NBA has just been special.
Lakers; last game is April 9. Now travel should not be an issue if it ever was. Maybe it could be a package deal. Says could play two more years, but it is the time to walk away. Cited Gronk knowing when is when. Nobody will penalize you. As a hooper from day one, I can appreciate that about D-Wade, especially battling him in the Finals and throughout my whole career.
On Sunday, that player was Curry. I know you got a lot of stuff going on off the court with your family and stuff. However, like I said, I think D-Wade is playing amazing this year. And for me, he sees the drive and the desire to be great for me. Even to this day. But he can still take over games. He can still find his rhythm. It said a lot about him as a person. After Dwyane Wade scored 35 points — one point less than his age — in Toronto on Sunday, his phone lit up with texts from other NBA players.
At this point, no. This is his house.
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