For the bulk of his brilliant career, Dwyane Wade, a former Chicago Bulls player and native of Chicago, wore the number 3 on his jersey. Except for a brief stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, when he wore the number 9, Wade is best known for his association with the number 3.
Wade claimed that the renowned player Allen “The Answer” Iverson, who wore the same number, had a big influence on his choice.
Culture’s leading figure
Wade has frequently stated that His Airness, Michael Jordan, was his all-time favorite athlete when he was a child. Jordan had already announced his second and final retirement when Wade joined the Miami Heat in 2003 and made his NBA debut. Wade saw Iverson as a cultural icon even though he was still playing for the Philadelphia 76ers.
“Michael Jordan was my favorite player. But as I was growing up as a kid, as Michael Jordan decided to retire from the game, Allen Iverson became the hero of our culture,” “I think a lot of people know I wear No. 3, but a lot of people don’t know why I wear No. 3. And so I just wanted to take this moment as an opportunity that is supposed to be about me, and I wanted to be able to shine light and give flowers to individuals that allow me and help me get here,”
Provided a guide towards success
Iverson promoted individualism and authenticity in the culture during his heyday, providing players from diverse backgrounds with a road map for success. Iverson was a revolutionary figure who motivated countless people all over the world with his brave play on the court and his bold appearance off of it.
Wade said : “Allen Iverson gave me the image of how it looks like, how it could be done coming from the broken community that I came from. So I want to give him his flowers in front of the world because he deserves it,”
