"That first year didn't feel special ... we were a bunch of guys that just got together" - Dwyane Wade looks back on the LeBron James-led 'Big 3' Miami Heat's time together in their first year
Former Miami Heat superstar Dwyane Wade recently opened up about playing with LeBron James for the South Beach franchise. The duo, alongside Chris Bosh, led the franchise to back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013.
Appearing on the "Point Forward" podcast, Andre Iguodala and Evan Turner chatted with the three-time champion. Wade opened up about the struggles of the first year in Miami with LeBron James and Chris Bosh. He said they didn't have the aura of being championship contenders.
"When you're playing basketball, you playing on a team that has, you know, championship aspirations and they can actually win a championship. It's a feeling that you have every day, in the locker room, the bus rides, the plane rides. Like, you feel it. You feel when you're part of something special.
"That first year didn't feel special. It felt like we were a bunch of guys that were just got together that were talented, that were trying to accomplish something that, you know, was that we never accomplished together. And it was hard, bro," Wade said.
Dwyane Wade also said the team's perception needed to change from the Heat being Wade's team to King James' team. Wade said that this change was pivotal for the success of the team.
"And so, after going through that first year, for me, what I realized is that if we were going to get to where we really ultimately wanted to, the guy that's six-nine, that can handle, that can guard anybody, that, you know, I mean, like, that can take over games, like, he had to have the freedom to do that.
"And he didn't have it the first year because it still was Wade county. He was still trying to get me the ball a little too much. He was still overthinking, and we couldn't have him thinking that way if we were going to accomplish what we wanted to," Wade said.
Despite coming into their first season with championship aspirations, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade collapsed in the NBA Finals. King James had, arguably, the worst series of his career. The media criticized him heavily for his performances.
LEBRON IN THE 2011 FINALS
GM1 (W): 24 PTS, 9 REB, 5 AST (9-16 fg)
GM2 (L): 20 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST (8-15 fg)
GM3 (W): 17 PTS, 3 REB, 9 AST (6-14 fg)
GM4 (L): 8 PTS, 9 REB, 7 AST (3-11 fg)
GM5 (L): 17 PTS, 10 REB, 10 AST (8-19 fg)
GM6 (L): 21 PTS, 4 REB, 6 AST (9-15 fg) https://t.co/rpBSMZJu1l
How good were LeBron James and Dwyane Wade during the Miami Heat years?
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are among the greatest duos the game of basketball has ever seen. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade brought success to the team with style.
The first season culminated in disappointment. But LeBron James did redeem himself the following season with a historic performance against the Boston Celtics. In Game 6 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals, King James dropped 45 points.
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade: 98 points; 30-33 FG inside paint combined last 2 games http://t.co/TcVGl14nx3
Towards the end, though, both Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade were hit with injuries. These injuries resulted in James leaving the Miami Heat for a return to the team that drafted him in 2003, the Cleveland Cavaliers.