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Happy Birthday Dwyane Wade: Relive the NBA Icon’s Best Moments

The iconic former NBA basketball player, Dwyane Wade, is turning 38 today.

Wade spent most of his career playing with Miami Heat. During his 16-year career, he won three NBA championships, was a 13-time NBA All-Star, and an 8-time member of the All-NBA Team.

No one on the Heat has been able to surpass his record-breaking career in terms of points, games, assists, steals, shots made, and shots taken.

Wade also helped lead the 2008 Summer Olympics team to a gold medal as the “Redeem Team.”

He will go down as one of the top five shooting guards in the game. He averaged 22 points per game, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.4 assists. Besides breaking records and leading teams to wide success, what are some of Dwyane Wade’s best moments in basketball?

Final All-Star Game

On Feb.17, 2019, Dwyane Wade played in his final All-Star game. The match-up was Team LeBron versus Team Giannis. Alongside players like Stephen Curry, James Harden, Paul George, and Kevin Durant, this was one of Wade’s many shining moments as an All-Star.

He was on the winning team with LeBron. Their total at the end of the game was 178-164.

This was his final appearance alongside the best players in the game. That’s him included.

A Back-to-Back Championship

In June 2012 and then in June 2013, Wade was a back-to-back champion.

The Heat played against Oklahoma City Thunder that many thought would defeat the team. However, the Heat consisted of a one of the all-time great big three combinations: LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade.

The Heat took down the Thunder in five games. Wade helped lead with over 20 points in each of the last four games.

In 2013, Wade battled a knee injury and a powerful Spurs team with Gregg Popovich, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. Despite the pain, he put up a stellar performance.

The following year, his knee and the pressure he put on it cost him games. However, two championships in a row might just be worth it.

Winning All-Star MVP

Wade never won an MVP award during the regular season. He did, however, win MVP awards during the Finals and All-Star games.

In 2010, he won his All-Star MVP award while playing against Dallas. He led with 28 points, 11 assists, and six rebounds.

Career-High in Points Earned

In the 2008-2009 season, Wade played his best individual game. He averaged 30.2 points and 5 rebounds during this season.

During this season, on Feb. 22, Wade had his first 50-point game.

He would beat this again in the final game of the season against the Knicks. Wade led with 55 points and the Heat won 122-105. He was one point shy of Glen Rice’s all-time record.

Epic Buzzer-Beater

It was also during the 2008-2009 season where Wade performed one of the most epic buzzer-beaters ever. On March 9, 2009, the Heat was playing against the Chicago Bulls.

John Salmons had the ball with 10 seconds left. Suddenly Wade, nicknamed “Flash,” grabbed the ball and ran to the other side.

He soared from the three-point line and launched the ball in an epic final shot. He became popular for “table jumping” after this.

2006 Finals

Wade helped to carry the Heat to their very first win in franchise history. He had 39.3 points as an average during the final four games of the season.

In Game 3, he led the team while they were 13 points down. During Game 5, he scored the final two free-throws that would win the game. In Game 6, the team won 95-92 and Wade scored 36 points.

Shaquille O’Neal only had nine points that game.

“They gave me the opportunity by putting the ball in my hands to prove people wrong. When I came [into] the series, it was, I can’t shoot. I don’t know where they got that from. So I proved to them I can shoot, and then after that, I proved I can play, and that’s all I tried to do: prove people wrong,” Wade said.

H/T: Bleacher Report, Fansided

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