"Finding a community for Zaya": Gabrielle Union reaffirms Dwyane Wade's explanation about family's move from Florida
Dwyane Wade had a legendary 16-year career in the NBA, 15 of which were spent with the Miami Heat, that will land him in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame later this summer. Gabrielle Union, who he has dated since 2008 and married in 2014, moved out of the state of Florida in 2020. Wade discussed their move to California with Grace Bastidas of Parents.com, stating:
"There are a lot of reasons we decided California was best for our family and finding a community for Zaya was a big part of that. We felt that California was a place that would allow her to blossom and grow. She’s going to be a junior in high school now and she’s been able to be accepted and become her here."
Union supported his stance, adding:
"When you have the kind of rhetoric that is being espoused in Florida and adopted into law, that's not an option if my child isn't safe there. We have family and friends who don't have the privilege of moving. So we are going to be fighting till we are out of breath to protect all kids who are oppressed. That is our responsibility as people with large platforms and as people who folks trust, and they trust us because we say the hard thing."
Wade previously shared a similar sentiment with Rachel Nichols of Showtime Sports. He noted that his family would not be comfortable or accepted in Florida.
How did Dwyane Wade perform in his NBA career?
Dwyane Wade was drafted fifth overall by the Miami Heat in the 2003 NBA Draft. He spent parts of 15 seasons with the Heat while spending one year with the Chicago Bulls and part of another with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Wade averaged 22.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field, 29.3% from three-point range and 76.5% from the free-throw line. He won three championships and was named the 2005-2006 NBA Finals MVP and the 2009-2010 All-Star Game MVP.
Wade was named to 13 All-Star Teams, eight All-NBA Teams, and three All-Defensive Teams while winning the 2008-2009 scoring title. In his first year of eligibility, he will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on August 12th, 2023. Dwyane Wade will be joined by a star-studded class that features first-ballot Hall of Famers Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker, and coach Gregg Popovich.