Dwyane Wade Biography

Dwyane Wade (born on January 17, 1982 in Chicago, Illinois) is a professional basketball player, currently playing for the NBA's Miami Heat. Already one of the elite guards in the league at 24 years of age, he is touted as a young but extremely gifted player who is considered to be one of the brightest spots in the future of the NBA.

Biography

Dwyane Wade was born in 1982 on the South side of Chicago. He cites his older sister Tragil Wade as the individual the most resposible for his childhood upbringing and for steering him in the proper direction in life.

Dwyane Wade played collegiately for Marquette University, leading the Golden Eagles to the Final Four in 2003. Perhaps his most memorable collegiate moment came in the 2003 Midwest Regional Final in the NCAA Tournament in Minneapolis. Against heavily favored No. 1 Kentucky, Wade recorded a rare triple-double, recording 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists to lead Marquette over the Wildcats 83-69. Wade was only the fourth player in NCAA Men's Tournament history to record a triple-double, after Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, and Andre Miller.

Dwyane Wade's strong play in the tournament caused his NBA Draft standing to increase significantly, and he subsequently elected to forgo his senior year at Marquette.

Selected fifth overall in the 2003 NBA Draft, Wade quickly emerged as a star on a relatively young Miami Heat team after averaging better than 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists in his rookie season. He further distinguished himself with outstanding performances in the 2004 NBA Playoffs, particularly against the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. In the end, however, Wade's successful rookie season was still somewhat overshadowed by the hype surrounding fellow rookie phenomenons LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. He still was able to earn unanimous selection to the NBA 2004 All-Rookie team, and also finished 3rd in rookie of the year voting. He also ranked in the top five among rookies in five major statistical categories, Ranked second in field goal percentage, second in steals, third in scoring, third in efficiency rating (15.26), forth in assists, fourth and minutes, seventh in blocks per game, 11th in rebounds per game, and 12th in free throw percentage.

Dwyane Wade Video

As a testimony to his success, Dwyane Wade was chosen as a member of the 2004 USA basketball team during the 2004 offseason. However, he had a limited role as most of the playing time was given to more experienced veterans. But with his defense, he was considered one of the few bright spots on a team that otherwise performed poorly by the standards of U.S. Olympics basketball, eventually finishing with the bronze medal. Wade averaged 7.3 points and 17.5 minutes in the eight games that the USA played in the Olympics. He also earned himself a number two rating in registering steals against Olympic opponents, averaging slightly more than two per game.

Shaquille O'Neal was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to Miami in the summer before Wade's second season. Wade's scoring average, assists, and rebounding totals increased considerably in his second season with the Heat, and he quickly emerged as a rising superstar in the league. He was elected to his first NBA All-Star Game in Denver and came off the bench to score 14 points in leading the East to a 125-115 win. Compared to the previous year, the Miami Heat under Wade and O'Neal improved by 17 games, from a 42-40 record in the 2003-2004 season, to a 59-23 record in 2004-2005.

In the first round of the 2005 NBA playoffs (against the New Jersey Nets), Wade became one of only seven players in league history to average at least 25 points, eight assists and six rebounds while making half his shots in a playoff series, averaging 26.3 points, 8.8 assists, and 6.0 rebounds at 50% field-goal shooting. The other players to accomplish this are all members of the Basketball Hall of Fame: Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. Amazingly, Wade accomplished this feat once again in the 2nd round playoffs sweep of the Washington Wizards. Despite the Game 7 loss to Detroit in the Conference Finals, Wade was magnificent throughout, scoring 40 and 36 respectively to negate the Pistons' trademark stifling defense.

In the 2005-2006 NBA season, Wade, O'Neal, and the rest of the Miami Heat under coach Pat Riley won the NBA championship against the Dallas Mavericks.

Dwyane Wade is also among the American Christian adults who tithe, according to the Sun Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Wade gave 10% of his $2.6 million salary this season to the Blood, Water and Spirit Ministry in Chicago. Wade was a tither before he started playing in the NBA.

Dwyane Wade Biography

Awards/honors

NBA Finals MVP 2006
2-time NBA All-Star: 2005, 2006
All-NBA Second Team: 2005
All-NBA Defensive Second Team: 2005
NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2003
NBA All-Star Skills Challenge champion: 2006
One of only seven players in NBA history to average at least 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists while shooting 50% in a playoff series (the others are Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan).
Holds Miami Heat franchise record for most consecutive points scored in one game with 17 vs. the Detroit Pistons on February 12, 2006.
Holds Miami Heat franchise playoff record for most points in one game with 42 in Game 4 of the 2005 Eastern Conference Semifinals vs. the Washington Wizards.
Holds Miami Heat franchise playoff record for most points in one quarter with 22 in Game 4 of the 2005 Eastern Conference Semifinals vs. the Washington Wizards.
Holds Miami Heat franchise playoff record for most assists in one game with 15 in Game 2 of the 2005 Eastern Conference Semifinals vs. the Washington Wizards.

Trivia

Member of the 2004 USA basketball team which won bronze at Athens.
Wade endorses for Converse, who has made shoes under his name.
Gets his name often misspelled by many as "Dwayne" instead of "Dwyane"