This was Wade & Pat Riley’s masterplan and someone was going to have to make some sacrifices. It was easier for Chris Bosh to make a sacrifice because he was the #1 player on a bad team in Toronto, but for Wade it was different.
He was an NBA Champion and the undisputed King of Miami, but he knew to be known as one of the all-time great he needed more rings and he wasn’t going to get them without help. He got the rings, but you could always tell he wasn’t entirely comfortable playing the Ricky Bell role to LeBron’s Ralph Tresvant (New Edition reference) and he was pretty honest about that in this Q&A with Bleacher Report.
“It was great, you know, we went to the Finals four years in a row, and it was everything we wanted from that standpoint, but sometimes throughout that run at certain times, it just wasn’t fun,” Wade said. “Individually, it was great having certain relationships, and having my best friend here with me, but all of us didn’t have fun all the time…. I think now I’m at the point where I want to enjoy the game. Because once I’ve won three championships and been so successful, you’ve got to have something to play for. And I want to be able to play for my teammates, and just the joy of the game.”
Why wasn’t it fun?
The outsized attention? The relentless pressure?
“I don’t know,” Wade said. “It’s hard to say, man, because you want it. We wanted it. So it’s hard to say that. You don’t know exactly what’s going to come with it, but we put ourselves in that position. But sometimes you can put too much on yourself, all of us, and it becomes a black cloud around. Last year wasn’t fun. I mean, there was no stretch of it fun. That whole season, to me, it’s amazing we made it to the Finals. It’s just honest. Just this year, coming in, I can see, even the coaches, there’s just a different renewed focus and energy. No one knows what it’s going to lead to. No one knows if that’s going to lead to a Finals win or Finals loss or not the Finals at all. But right now it’s good for everyone to come in every day and want to be here.”
I think, individually, you sacrifice so much of your game, you want to see if you can do some of the things that are called upon you to do, when called upon. It’s not saying, ‘Oh, I’m excited this person left so I can do that.’ It’s more, ‘OK, it’s a challenge,’ and as athletes we not only love challenges, but we need them. Especially if we want to continue to rise. Like I said, I wouldn’t take anything back. Even though there were a lot of moments where everyone wasn’t happy, I wouldn’t take the success back that we had in our four years. It’s just that now, I think it’s great that—everything happens for a reason—and I think right now for this organization and certain individuals that [are[ here, it’s just a good time for it.”
Wade is being honest and that is refreshing. Sometimes when you do something for the betterment of your career, that doesn’t mean it is the most enjoyable thing in the world. Wade needed LeBron, but it meant taking a step back and to an alpha male like Wade, I can see how that wouldn’t be very enjoyable.
Maybe, when his career is over he will appreciate it more and what he does in this last chapter of his career will be interesting to watch. He is now back being THE MAN in Miami and that is probably why he expects to have more fun. People say a lot of things about Wade, but convincing LeBron to take his talents to South Beach, might be his crowning achievement.