Dwyane Wade
Born (1982)
Hall of Fame Induction: 2023
Card Shown: 2015-16 Panini
Prizm
Position: SG/PG
Height: 6’4″
bb
bb
Dwyane Wade is considered one of the best two guards and one of the most clutch players in NBA history. He played the majority of his career for the Miami Heat and led them to three NBA titles. He was a perpetual All-Star and a top scorer in the league, but he was also named to All-Defensive teams during his career.
Awards and Honors
- Dwyane was named an NBA All-Star in thirteen of his sixteen seasons in the league. In 2010, he won the NBA All-Star game Most Valuable Player award (which is now named after Kobe Bryant).
- Wade made the 2003-04 NBA All-Rookie Team and was selected to eight All-NBA teams and three All-Defensive teams during is career.
- Dwyane won three NBA championships in 2006, 2012, and 2013. In 2006 he teamed with Hall of Famers Shaquille O’Neal, Gary Payton, and Alonzo Mourning. In 2012 and 2013, LeBron James and Chris Bosh formed a Big Three with Wade. Dwyane was the Finals MVP in 2006.
- Wade won two Olympic medals for Team USA, including the gold medal in 2008 in Beijing where he was the leading scorer for the “Redeem Team.”
- During the 2021-22 season, Wade was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team which celebrates the top seventy-five players to play in the league in its first seventy-five years.
Points of Interest
- Wade led the Marquette Golden Eagles to the Final Four in 2003 and had his number 3 retired by the university in 2007.
- In the star-studded 2003 NBA Draft, Dwyane was chosen out of Marquette University with the fifth overall pick in the first round by the Miami Heat. LeBron James (1), Carmelo Anthony (3), and Chris Bosh (4) were chosen before him.
- In 2008-09, Dwyane led the NBA in scoring with an average of 30.2 points per game. Over the course of his long and illustrious career, he averaged 22.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game.
- Wade chose one of his boyhood favorites, Allen Iverson, to present him at the Hall of Fame. He modeled his game after Iverson and said Allen is one of the the two reasons why he wore #3, which was also Iverson’s number.
- In 2020, Dwyane had his number 3 jersey retired by the Miami Heat, making him the fifth Heat player to be so honored. The first four are Tim Hardaway, O’Neal, Mourning, and Bosh. With Wade’s enshrinement in 2023, all five of them are now in the Hall of Fame.
Statistics
Dwyane Wade Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com
Personal Autograph Interactions
We met Dwyane Wade twice during the 2023 Hall of Fame Induction weekend. The first time was in the lobby of the Mohegan Sun where Joshua got two cards signed by Dwyane, who walked slowly to give Joshua the chance to get his cards out before he reached the elevator. I, unfortunately, was too slow to follow the walking Wade and get my cards out in time to get them signed.
At the official Panini autograph signing, Dwyane signed my 2012-13 Panini Signatures Stars card and inscribed it with the “HOF 23” tagline. The line was moving slowly and we ended up being in front of Wade for a little while so I asked him to sign my second card, a 2013-14 Panini Titanium Game Gear Duals featuring Dwyane and LeBron James. He graciously signed that card also, although I didn’t get my blue sharpie to him in time. I may never have the opportunity to get LeBron James to sign the other side of the card, but I love having the card just the same.
Thank you, Dwyane!
In-Person Autograph Photos
Dwyane signed the 2012-13 Panini Signature Stars and the 2013-14 Panini Titanium Game Gear cards for me at the official Panini autograph signing in 2023.