"It was better for me"- Dwyane Wade opens up on the reason for choosing the Utah Jazz over the Miami Heat
Dwyane Wade shocked the NBA world when he bought a minority stake in the Utah Jazz. Having spent the majority of his playing career with the Miami Heat, many expected Wade to be involved with the team after retiring from the NBA.
In a recent discussion with Shannon Sharpe, Wade opened up about his decision to choose Utah over Miami.
"Relationships, business, opportunity," Wade said. "At the right time for me, sometimes you have to step away from the career. Too close to the career, too close to not getting some of the things that I wanted, not getting the things they wanted. For me, I wanted to step away and be able to build and work on our relationship, which I think we've continued to do.
"I wanted to be able to support the Heat without feeling the obligation, without feeling whatever I felt in the midst of the business of the game. I needed to get rid of that.
"I wanna root for my team, I wanna support Jimmy (Butler), I wanna support UD (Udonis Haslem), I wanna support Spo (Erik Spoelstra) without feeling any way that I felt before. ... I felt it was better for me to learn what someone that I built a relationship with that I'm closer with from a business standpoint."
Wade has consistently shown his support for the Heat even after his retirement. During Miami's finals appearance, he was seen courtside watching Games 3 and 4.
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Dwyane Wade speaks about leaving the Heat temporarily
During the 2016 offseason, Dwyane Wade left Miami and signed with the Chicago Bulls. He even had a stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers. This was after he wasn't offered the contract he was hoping to get.
"It sucked. I left. I won three championships in Wade County and I left. I left for a few different reasons, but it hurt. Unfortunately for me, the decision I wanted them to make at the time I wanted them to make it, they didn't make. It affected how I felt about everything that I put into what I was told when I came in."
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Luckily for Heat fans, their franchise star found his way home and ended his career in Miami. Wade played his final game for the South Beach franchise in April 2019.
Also read: Dwyane Wade faces derogatory remarks about his trans child days after Florida remark