Getty Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade poses with his NAACP Image award.
After 15 years in a Miami Heat uniform, 13 All-Star appearances and three NBA championships, Dwyane Wade’s status as the franchise’s GOAT is cemented. However, the former baller has had one box left to check before he could really call his career complete.
Now, nearly four years after he finally hung up the hi-tops, the 41-year-old Wade finally gets to mark it (as if there had been any doubt he would).
On Saturday, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced the 12 inductees that make up its 2023 class. And Wade was the headliner.
Joining him in the class are old rivals Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker and coach Gregg Popovich. Other inductees include Pau Gasol, Becky Hammon, coaches Gene Keady, Jim Valvano, Gene Bess, David Hixon and Gary Blair, as well as the 1976 US Women’s Olympic Basketball Team.
“The Naismith Hall of Fame Class of 2023 is remarkable and truly embodies the breadth and impact of the global game today,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the HOF.
“This Class represents the game at every level and showcases the incredible efforts of individuals who are not only household names in the game, but also those who teach, coach and counsel to men and women at the most organic levels of basketball. The ultimate achievement of a storied career is Enshrinement in the Naismith Hall, and this Class punctuates and defines what it means to be a Hall of Famer.”
Enshrinement festivities will take place on August 11 & 12 at the Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Dwyane Wade’s Career With the Miami Heat Wasn’t Just HOF-Worthy, It Was Unrivaled
Congratulations to 13x @NBAAllStar, 3x @NBA Champion and 2006 NBA Finals MVP, #23HoopClass inductee @DwyaneWade.
In addition to the aforementioned accolades, Wade was an eight-time All-NBA pick, a three-time All-Defensive Team selection, a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, a Finals MVP, a league scoring champ, an Olympic gold and bronze medalist, and — during his collegiate years — a consensus All-American selection.
Meanwhile, the mountain of statistics he logged are all over the league and franchise record books.
His 23,165 points are the 32nd most by any player in NBA history. Wade also ranks 31st all-time in steals (1,620), 47th in assists (5,701) and 32nd in field goals made (8,454). Meanwhile, he’s No. 1 in all of those categories (and several others) in Heat team history.
Across 16 total seasons and 1,054 regular-season games with the Heat, Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers, Wade averaged 22.0 points, 5.4 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals per outing.
Wade Sounds Off on Entering the Hall With Some of His Fiercest Rivals
At Saturday’s press conference announcing the inductees, Wade made it clear that getting enshrined alongside some of his fiercest hardwood rivals makes the moment all the more special.
“As I look up here and I’m sitting next to Tony — I’ve been in the Finals five times and four of them were against these two. So, we have so much history,” Wade said, via Will Manso.
“I think the cool thing is we can get over anything that we had because they beat me and I beat them. We’re 1-1 versus each other. And to have that history, to sit on this stage together, with Pau, as brothers who fought to be our very best individually as players and to be very good teammates…
“It’s so cool to walk into the Hall of Fame and to continue to be a part of amazing teams.”