Latest news with #DwyaneWade
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5 hours ago
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Dwyane Wade believes Westbrook is still the OKC GOAT despite Shai's historic season: "We are talking about a player who went and did something, and people said it will never be done again"
Dwyane Wade believes Westbrook is still the OKC GOAT despite Shai's historic season: "We are talking about a player who went and did something, and people said it will never be done again" originally appeared on Basketball Network. We're just days removed from watching the Oklahoma City Thunder climb the NBA's mountaintop for the first time in franchise history. A young, hungry squad led by a calm killer who turned the entire league into his playground for eight straight months. If it wasn't one of the greatest individual seasons of all time, then it was easily one of the best we've seen in recent memory. Advertisement Oh, to be completely honest, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn't just lead — he dominated. He took home the scoring title, started in the All-Star Game, was All-NBA First Team, and ran through the Playoffs like a seasoned vet. He bagged Western Conference Finals MVP, followed it up with Finals MVP, and just for good measure, he added the league MVP to the trophy case. Then he topped it all off with a ring. That run right there doesn't happen often. So it's no surprise the "Shai-for-Thunder-GOAT" conversations have hit another gear. It's only been six seasons, but with everything he just pulled off, fans are starting to wonder if we've already seen the best to ever do it in an OKC jersey. But not everyone's ready to give him that crown. Dwyane Wade, a guy who knows a thing or two about being the legend of the franchise, still sees Russell Westbrook at the top of that list. Advertisement "To me, I still think that Russell Westbrook is the best player in Oklahoma City history. Right now… Doesn't mean he is going to end up that way, but to me, I still believe that," Wade said in his recent breakdown after the 2025 Finals. "You can tell me now that a player can come to Miami, win a regular season MVP, win a Finals, a Finals MVP and he just becomes the greatest player in Miami history like that," he added. Westbrook embodied the OKC spirit for over a decade D-Wade's argument isn't only nostalgia talking; it's about the whole body of work for over a decade. When he looks at Russ, he sees a guy who gave everything to that franchise, a walking highlight reel who never cheated the game. Advertisement Westbrook won MVP in 2017 and made eight All-NBA teams and eight All-Star appearances during his 11 seasons with the Thunder. And, of course — he averaged a triple-double for three straight seasons in OKC, something most of us thought was impossible in this era. "Wait a minute. We are talking about a player who went and did something (average a triple-double), and people said it will never be done again. He did it four times," the Miami Heat legend argued. Sure, he didn't bring the Larry O'Brien title home. And yes, the team never made it back to the Finals after Kevin Durant left. But in terms of doing the heavy lifting night after night, carrying rosters, setting the tone and building a brand of basketball that was all heart, nobody embodied Oklahoma City more than Russ did. Related: "We only needed one more guy" - Patrick Beverley says the Clippers lost SGA because Kawhi thought he needed more help The narrative could shift soon The Thunder have something real on their hands. A young core, a winning culture and a new face of the franchise who's already accomplished what Russ couldn't — and he's only entering his best career years. Advertisement If the Thunder runs it back and Shai keeps performing at this level, the conversation is going to shift fast. Because when you start stacking rings on top of MVPs, Finals MVPs, and everything else he just pulled off, that's when legacy talk gets real. Westbrook's impact in OKC will always be legendary, and there is no doubt about it. But if SGA keeps leading this franchise like he did in 2025, not even Wade might be able to keep Russ at the top of that mountain. Related: Montrezl Harrell says Clippers gave up too soon on Shai: "All you had to do is let the kid develop" This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
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5 hours ago
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Dwyane Wade explains why the Heat didn't pull the trigger on Kevin Durant: "This is what the Heat do; they are not turning their chips until they feel like they got a winner"
Dwyane Wade explains why the Heat didn't pull the trigger on Kevin Durant: "This is what the Heat do; they are not turning their chips until they feel like they got a winner" originally appeared on Basketball Network. The Miami Heat have been in star-hunting mode ever since Jimmy Butler packed his bags for the Golden State Warriors following what felt like an endless standoff with management and, most importantly, with Pat Riley. Advertisement The break-up with Butler left a giant hole in the franchise's identity, and as this offseason kicked off with fireworks all over the league, many thought South Beach would make its move, especially with Kevin Durant's name sitting on the trading block since February's trade deadline came and went without a deal. The table seemed set for the Heat to pounce. But, as it turned out, Riley and the front office didn't bite, as KD moved elsewhere. The Heat didn't want to throw all their chips in While there were plenty of reports suggesting that the Heat made a serious play for Durant, the details tell a different story. According to Shams Charania, Miami "turned down the opportunity to place Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic, Haywood Highsmith, the No. 20 pick and other draft assets in a deal." Simply put, the Heat weren't willing to mortgage the future, especially not when the price also meant matching salaries through players like Duncan Robinson, Terry Rozier or Andrew Wiggins. Advertisement That's where Dwyane Wade, the ultimate Heat legend and a guy who knows this organization inside and out, stepped in with his perspective. And Wade didn't sugarcoat it one bit. "Man, the Heat have been trying to get KD for 10 years… So, do you want him, or do you not want him? So, right now, they just playing a couple games. This is what the Heat do; they are not turning their chips until they feel like they got a winner," the Hall of Fame guard analyzed. Wade went deeper, pointing out that while Durant's talent is undeniable, Miami's front office wasn't just looking at the box score production. "So, obviously, they didn't wanna give up what was offered for KD to come there. They look at age, they look at injury, they look at a lot of things. They don't just look at, that he is scoring 25 a game. They look at can this dude hold up if we cash these chips in? Maybe they didn't feel to he was wroth those chips in," Wade added. Advertisement Related: "Unlike myself, he gets to join a team that's established right with HoF guys" - LeBron explains why Flagg is in an ideal position to immediately succeed Miami won't be sleeping for very long As the dust settled, it was the Houston Rockets who ended up pulling off the KD deal, shipping out Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and the No. 10 pick to land the former MVP. Meanwhile, Miami's front office kept its core pieces intact, even as frustration built among the fan base that they'd missed yet another shot at adding an elite superstar to the mix. Yes, he might be nearing the end of his career, but Durant has made his name on being the ultimate plug-and-play player who can make any team into a top-tier championship contender overnight. Advertisement "As a Heat fan, cause I'm a Heat fan, I gotta bite the pillow, too, and be mad. But also, I gotta understand that they know what they doing," D-Wade concluded. Of course, knowing Riley and how this organization operates, the Heat aren't done... With Giannis Antetokounmpo's future in Milwaukee still up in the air, don't be surprised if Miami's name pops up in those conversations sooner rather than later. The KD window may have closed, but in South Beach, another door is always just about to open. Related: Adam Silver plans to use Artificial Intelligence after the NBA's injury surge: "Ingest all video of every game a player's played in to see if we can detect some pattern" This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
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10 hours ago
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NBA Legend Dwyane Wade Issues Kevin Durant, LeBron James Take
NBA Legend Dwyane Wade Issues Kevin Durant, LeBron James Take originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Miami Heat were in on the Kevin Durant sweepstakes before the Phoenix Suns traded him to the Houston Rockets. This isn't the first time they unsuccessfully tried to add Durant, as they did the same nine years prior when they tried to sign him as a free agent. Advertisement It makes sense why the Heat believed they had a chance at him in 2025, like in 2016. Miami has a long history of adding the NBA's biggest stars, whether via trade or free agency. That includes Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, Lakers alum Shaquille O'Neal, Jimmy Butler, and Chris Bosh. However, the last time they added a big name to the team was when they signed Butler six years ago. Since then, they haven't had as much luck. Even worse, Durant alone may have been enough to vault Miami back to the top of the Eastern Conference. Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) and shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3).Steve Dykes-Imagn Images If one person saw this coming, it's Heat alum Dwyane Wade. Wade explained on his podcast that Durant not coming to South Beach had to do with his not wanting to follow in James' footsteps back in 2010. Advertisement 'I said this 10 years ago when the Heat were trying to get him… he's not following LeBron," Wade said. "Why are we recruiting somebody who's not doing that? I didn't like it then, and I didn't like it now. I'm glad he's in Houston. That ain't it.' Durant may not have wanted to follow the same direct path James did in 2010, but he followed a very similar path when he joined the Golden State Warriors in 2016. Doing so is what stopped James from winning more titles during that decade. Related: LeBron James Called to Retire by Former NBA All-Star Related: Lakers Named Favorites to Land Ace Bailey After Jazz News This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
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14 hours ago
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Jay Bilas drops mind blowing 76ers' V.J. Edgecombe over Dwyane Wade take
The post Jay Bilas drops mind blowing 76ers' V.J. Edgecombe over Dwyane Wade take appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Philadelphia 76ers got their guy with the No. 3 pick in the NBA Draft, selecting V.J. Edgecombe out of Baylor. Edgecombe is an explosive shooting guard who can make plays on both sides of the ball, and many people have already started the comparisons for him. Advertisement ESPN's Jay Bilas had a few comparisons for Edgecombe, one of which included a current Hall of Famer. 'You know he's 19 years old, he's from the Bahamas. And on the player comp side, I'm saying he reminds me of Victor Oladipo when he was 19 and Dwyane Wade when he was 19,' Bilas said on the Pat McAfee Show. 'I'm not saying he's the Miami Heat Dwyane Wade yet, but at 19, you couldn't tell these two guys apart, you might even take Edgecombe. Because I think Edgecombe at 19 is probably better than Dwyane Wade was at 19.' It's obvious that Bilas has high expectations for Edgecombe, and saying that he may have been better coming out of the college than Wade is huge. He may not have the same impact on the 76ers in his first year than Wade did with the Heat, but there is a chance for him to grow into something special. 76ers excited to add V.J. Edgecombe to the team After adding Edgecombe to the team, general manager Daryl Morey seemed excited about the pick. Advertisement 'We're super excited about V.J. and that we got the chance to draft him,' Morey said via The Athletic's Tony Jones. 'He's a dynamic athlete. We think he's one of the best athletes in the draft. We think he has a chance to be a potential All-Star, and he's going to be a two-way player coming into the league. He has a lot of winning qualities, and we think he is going to be a really good fit. We think he is going to be a great teammate.' The 76ers already have a veteran team that is ready to win now, and they are led by Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George. Adding Edgecombe to the fold will be big for them, and he can be a key piece in the present and the future. His ceiling is high, and there's a chance he could make an impact on Day 1 for the 76ers. Related: 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe's emotional 'no electricity' revelation during draft reaction Related: Live 2025 NBA Draft grades for every 1st-round pick, trade
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2 days ago
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Dwyane Wade Makes Stunning Admission on LeBron James Being ‘Greatest Heat Player Ever'
Dwyane Wade Makes Stunning Admission on LeBron James Being 'Greatest Heat Player Ever' originally appeared on Athlon Sports. In a remarkable display of humility and sportsmanship, NBA legend Dwyane Wade has publicly acknowledged LeBron James as the greatest player to ever don a Miami Heat jersey. Advertisement The admission, shared via a post on X by @HeatCulture13 on Wednesday, comes with a reflective quote from Wade himself: 'I have the greatest body of work of anybody that's ever put a Miami Heat jersey on. If you wanna be honest, LeBron James is the greatest player to ever put a Miami Heat jersey on,' Wade stated. This candid statement accompanies a striking image of Wade (No. 3) and James (No. 6) standing side by side in their Heat uniforms, a testament to their iconic partnership during the "Big Three" era from 2010 to 2014. Together, they led the Heat to two NBA Finals championships and four Eastern Conference titles, cementing their legacy. Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) and shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3).Steve Dykes-Imagn Images With the Heat undergoing a rare period of struggle under head coach Erik Spoelstra, getting swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, perhaps Wade's words can light a fire in the team for the upcoming season. Advertisement Wade's acknowledgment highlights James' unparalleled individual brilliance, despite Wade's own monumental contributions, including his smooth playstyle and record-breaking 885 blocked shots as a guard. This admission not only underscores the mutual respect between the two superstars but also reignites debates about their respective impacts on the Heat franchise. As the basketball world reflects on this moment, Wade's gracious nod to James solidifies his status as a true gentleman of the game. Related: Heat Trade Package For Kevin Durant Gets Mixed Bag Of Reactions This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
