IN PHOTOS: Dwyane Wade beats Taylor Rooks to win Stance Spades Tournament during 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend
Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade won this year's Stance Spades Tournament during the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend. This year's tournament was the event's 8th edition, and Wade defeated American sports journalist Taylor Rooks.
In 2023, Wade hosted the tournament in Salt Lake City, where the All-Star festivities were held. It featured various celebrities, including NBA stars Carmelo Anthony, Jayson Tatum, Lauri Markkanen, Julius Randle, Jaren Jackson Jr., Pascal Siakam, Buddy Hield, Jaden Ivey, Donovan Mitchell and more.
Since its inception in 2015, the Stance Spades Tournament goes hand-in-hand with the NBA All-Star festivities. The Spades tournament is one of the more popular events during All-Star weekend.
Dwyane Wade's association with Stance
Stance is a socks, underwear and apparel line based in California. Dwyane Wade and Stance started their business relationship in 2012. In 2013, Wade announced a partnership with the brand, releasing his sock line in collaboration with them.
"We are very excited to team up with Dwyane Wade to launch the Wade Collection," Stance CEO Jeff Kearl said in a statement in 2013. "Wade has had an undeniable influence on the NBA and on fashion, and we are thrilled to collaborate with someone that is so passionate about everything that he is involved in. This collection really speaks for itself."
The beginning of the Stance Spades Tournament came later. It was Wade's idea after a business meeting when he casually told partners and friends that someone should host a spades card tournament during the NBA All-Star Weekend.
From there, the unusual and popular marketing activation was born for Stance which hosts various celebrities every year during the festivities.
“We took our love of spades and brought it to an intimate setting at first,” Wade said in 2020 (h/t Forbes). "Then we brought the drink element and the music element. Now it’s grown [so much] we need a warehouse.”
Speaking about his connection with the game of spades, Wade said:
“I been playing spades since I came out.”
“I played with my parents. It was family time growing up. It’s a right of passage if you are a Wade.”
The Stance Spade Tournament has been tweaked over the years and usually draws attendees from an All-Star court event.