"It just looks weird when he's sitting there... And next to Danny Ainge?" - Erik Spoelstra pokes fun at 3x NBA champion for getting front row seats at both Utah Jazz and Miami Heat games
Erik Spoelstra was happy but surprised to see his former player, Dwyane Wade, in the FTX Arena for the Miami Heat's game against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Heat managed to bag a 119-103 win on the night. After the victory, Spoelstra and the other Heat players were seen sharing a few moments with the former Heat star.
Dwyane Wade is also the co-owner of the Utah Jazz. However, his legacy is everlasting and he will always remain a big part of the Heat organization. Spoelstra stated that it was weird seeing Wade in the Utah front seat alongside Danny Ainge. When asked in his post-game interview about Wade, the Heat head coach said:
"He's living a life. Front row Utah games. And front row here. I was actually surprised that's what I told him out there, I just told, it's an incredible opportunity there, but it just looks weird when he's sitting front row in Utah game and next to Danny Ainge, but it's great to have him and Gabi here in the building, i hope they are here for a while."
Erik Spoelstra on Dwyane Wade sitting courtside: It just looks weird when he's sitting front row at a Utah game...and next to Danny Ainge, come on...I hope he and Gabby are here for awhile and maybe Chris Bosh can come out to a game https://t.co/bMcarNOfwj
Dwyane Wade was also present at the Met Gala and killed it with his looks. 'The Flash' then decided to cheer for his former team at the FTX Arena. He has a special bond with the likes of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Udonis Haslem, who were also his former teammates.
Wait for it… “Game worn” 😂 https://t.co/frWIQRuwQs
Although Dwayne Wade is the owner of another team in the NBA, the Miami Heat fans and the players on the roster never shy away from showing their love for him.
Dwyane Wade's journey as a Miami Heat player was special
Dwyane Wade was drafted third overall by the Miami Heat in 2003. He was a youngster who didn't have many stars around him, but Wade did his best to keep the team competitive. In his very first season, he led the team to the Conference Semifinals, but the Indiana Pacers proved to be too strong for the Heat.
The following season, Dwyane Wade got a star in Shaquille O'Neal. The duo helped the Heat to finish as the top seed in the East. But once again, they fell short as the Detroit Pistons handed them a tough 4-3 defeat in the Conference Finals.
16 years ago today, @DwyaneWade and @SHAQ executed this iconic play ⚡️ https://t.co/w2bmilaRDf
After toiling for two whole seasons, the Heat finally got the success they deserved in the 2005-06 season. That year, Dwyane Wade led his troops to an NBA championship after beating Dirk Nowitzki and his Dallas Mavericks 4-2 in the Finals.
Post that, the Heat failed to make it past the first round for four seasons. However, the organization wanted to win a few more championships and that was when they decided to form a superteam by bringing in LeBron James and Chris Bosh. The Big 3 proved to be a big success as they made their way through some tough competition to make it to the NBA Finals in their first year together.
I don’t think @DwyaneWade gets enough credit for winning a championship and NBA Finals MVP at the age of 24 in his 3rd NBA season. https://t.co/jWgf4BFIS3
The Heat were well poised to win the championship against a Dallas Mavericks team. However, the Mavs showed their resilience and defied the odds to win their first championship in franchise history. This disappointing loss brought in a lot of criticism for Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. But just like how great players respond, they went in and bagged two consecutive championships to silence critics.
Relive the play by 75th Anniversary Team members @KingJames and @DwyaneWade! #NBA75
Learn more about LBJ and DWade at NBA.com/75 https://t.co/FJ7BifIIzW
They made the Finals for the fourth consecutive time in the 2013-14 season but were handed a 4-1 defeat by the San Antonio Spurs. Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh continued to play for the Heat, while LeBron James decided to move to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
However, the Heat were never able to make much noise post that. Wade moved to the Chicago Bulls and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the latter years of his career. But to bid adieu to his glorious career, the 13-time All-Star decided to return to the Miami Heat.