Dwyane Wade left an indelible mark on the NBA, particularly with the Miami Heat. He led the franchise to three championships during his career from 2003 to 2016. His impact on the team was so profound that Miami honored him with a statue last year.
However, despite his numerous accomplishments, Wade’s name rarely surfaces in discussions about the greatest players of all time. Wade himself has shown little interest in engaging in the GOAT in a recent conversation.
On Tuesday, renowned sports analyst Stephen A. Smith passionately defended Wade’s place in NBA history during an episode of “First Take.” Smith highlighted Wade’s critical role in shaping the Miami Heat’s success during the early 2010s, mentioning him as the third greatest guard behind Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
“I’m going to say this on national television, D-Wade, my brother: I’m getting sick and tired of you diminishing who the hell you are. You ain’t no 25th floor. You the 30th floor. That’s a three-time champion there we’re talking about with Dwyane Wade,” Smith said.
Stephen A Smith says Dwyane Wade is “next level” when comparing him to Harden
— Heat Culture (@HeatCulture13) April 1, 2025
“Dwyane Wade has been a man amongst boys.. He’s elevated the profile of Pat Riley. He elevated that man. He elevated MIA. He elevated LeBron James”
(Via @FirstTake) 🔥 pic.twitter.com/txIBASrjWE
“That’s a guy that recruited LeBron James. That’s a guy that sacrificed a lot of his game to facilitate LeBron James being who he is. Dwyane Wade, arguably the third greatest off guard in the history of basketball behind M.J. and Kobe,” he added.
Draymond Green Weighs In On Dwyane Wade’s Legacy As Shooting Guard Over James Harden
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There is some debate over whether James Harden has surpassed Dwyane Wade in historical rankings. Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green remains firm in his stance that Wade holds the edge. Speaking on his podcast alongside former NBA player Baron Davis, Green elaborated on why he favors Wade.
“James Harden’s so (bleeping) good. The reason I’m going to pick D-Wade, A, he won championships and he won a championship as Finals MVP, carrying the team in his third year. Yes, he had the Diesel [Shaquille O’Neal], of course, and Diesel changed everything, but I’m going to pick D-Wade because of that reason,” Wade said.
Wade’s performance in the 2006 NBA Finals was one of the most dominant individual playoff performances in NBA history. He led the Heat to victory against the Dallas Mavericks and earned Finals MVP honors. As the years go by, perhaps more voices will share the same thoughts of Stephen A. Smith and Draymond Green, ensuring that Wade’s legacy continues to be celebrated as one of the best to ever play the game.
