Basketball
| Born: | January 14, 1982 Chicago, IL |
|---|---|
| Hometown: | Robbins, IL |
| Residence: | Miami, FL |
| Ht: / Wt: | 6'4" / 216 lbs |
| Olympics: | 2004 |
| Event(s): | Men's basketball |
| Position: | Guard |
In need of gold
A late addition to the 2004 U.S. Olympic team, Dwyane Wade will be one of Team USA's leaders in Beijing. After an impressive rookie season with the NBA's Miami Heat, the guard averaged 7.3 points and 17.6 minutes a game in Athens, where the U.S. took bronze. Wade saw much more playing time at the 2006 World Championships, for which he was named a tri-captain with Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James. That team also won bronze. But the core of the team remained intact for the 2007 FIBA Americas tournament, where the U.S. cruised to a gold medal and qualified for the 2008 Games in the process. However, Wade sat out that tournament following shoulder and knee surgery, meaning he still has yet to win gold for Team USA.
Getty Images Wade may not yet own a gold medal, but he does have an NBA championship and Finals MVP award.
Been there
Unlike many of his teammates on the U.S. squad, Wade does own an NBA championship. The Heat won the 2006 NBA Finals, and couldn't have done it without Wade, who was named the Finals MVP. He averaged 27.2 points, 6.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds during the 2005-06 regular season, his third as a pro. He then turned in 28.4 points, 5.7 assists, and 5.9 rebounds that postseason.
Injury riddled
Though Wade has missed games every season of his NBA career, he has especially been hindered the past two seasons, each of which he missed 31 games. Wade hoped to be back at full strength for the 2007-08 season after undergoing shoulder and knee surgery in the off-season, but with the Heat out of playoff contention in early March, Wade opted to rest those still-aching parts for the remainder of the season and get healthy for Beijing.
Becoming a star
Being the No. 5 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft and putting together a fine rookie season (16.2 points, 4.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds) achieved Wade a fair measure of fame in the United States. He says he wasn't that popular at the Athens Games, though. "When I went to Athens, I wasn't one of the known guys. So I didn't have to worry about (people coming up to me). I was just chillin'. I watched (Allen) Iverson and LeBron and Tim Duncan and those guys get everybody coming to them and I would just chill. So it'll be a different experience this time around." As of October 2007, Wade's was the most popular jersey in Europe, and as of March 2007, his was the fourth-most popular in China.
Class of '03
Though Wade has clearly made a name for himself, he will likely always be compared with Anthony and James as members of the '03 NBA Draft, especially now that the trio is the centerpiece of USA Basketball. "It's great. Me, LeBron and Carmelo will be linked forever as long as we play the game of basketball. It's great that even though we go through a lot of comparisons during the year, when the summer comes, it's great that we can all come together for one common goal. And get on the same page and try to win a gold medal." Chris Bosh, who was taken one spot ahead of Wade in the '03 draft, also is expected to play for the U.S. in Beijing.
Marquette's marquee player
During his time at Marquette, Wade did his best to bring the Golden Eagles back to national prominence. He took a huge step his junior season when he led his team to a 27-6 record and an appearance in the NCAA Final Four -- Marquette's first trip to the Final Four since winning the national title in 1977. He averaged 21.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.15 steals per game that season, setting the Marquette single-season scoring record with 711 points. He was also the first player from Marquette to be named a first-team All-American selection since 1978. His most impressive performances came during the Golden Eagles' biggest victories, including a triple-double with 29 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in an upset victory against Kentucky in the Midwest Regional final.
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