“My Finals MVP trophy for yours”: Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade hilariously bet on Lakers-Heat NBA Finals

Samir Mehdi | 01/10/2020
Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade Lakers-Heat NBA Finals

Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade place a bet on the outcome of the NBA Finals between the Heat and Lakers.

Miami Heat legends Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade have been good friends since 2004. This was the year that Shaq got traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Miami Heat.

Dwyane Wade teamed up with Shaq in the 2004-05 season and both quickly led the Heat to their first ever franchise championship in the 2005-06 season.

Now, 14 years later, with the Los Angeles Lakers facing off against the Miami Heat in the 2020 NBA Finals, Shaq and Wade place a bet on who will win this series.

Also read: ‘Heat know LeBron James’ weaknesses’: Skip Bayless on how Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra can beat Lakers

Shaq and Wade wager on the outcome of the 2020 NBA Finals

Shaq and Wade had a virtual meeting in which both placed predictions on who which team will come out on top in these Finals.

Shaq picks the Los Angeles Lakers to win it all, saying it would be great to win it all for the late, great, Laker legend, Kobe Bryant. Wade claims his Heat will the victors when it’s all said and done.

“Your Finals MVP trophy, for my Finals MVP trophy,” are the terms both Wade and Shaq have agreed upon.

Who will win this bet?

Shaquille O’Neal played 8 seasons win the Lakers, where he won 3 Finals MVPs alongside Kobe Bryant, from 2000-2002. Dwyane Wade however, has only ever won 1 Finals MVP, which was in 2006.

Keeping this in mind, it might not have been wise for Wade to wager off his only Finals MVP trophy but it does show the amount of faith he has in his former team.

Also Read: ‘LeBron James can’t lead, Anthony Davis more valuable’: Scottie Pippen takes shot at Lakers star

We must all remember the last Shaq and Wade agreed upon a bet, Shaq had to hilariously grow out his hairline if he lost the bet; which he did.

Perhaps the outcome of the wager might be different this time around as LeBron and AD have looked unstoppable all postseason long.

Post Edited By: Utkarsh Bhatla
Dwyane Wade NBA Finals Shaquille O'Neal

About the author

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Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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