“Everything Went Numb”: Dwyane Wade, Who Was #5 Draft of 2003 Class, Expected to Play For the Chicago Bulls Instead of Miami Heat
Dwyane Wade might not bag a top-10 or even top-20 spot in most fans’ and experts’ greatest of all-time lists but the electrifying guard, in his heyday, the Heat legend was second to none on a basketball court.
However, when was about to make it to the league in 2003, in what is arguably the greatest Draft class of all time, the Chicago-based highly recruited shooting guard was expecting to get selected by his hometown franchise, the Bulls.
But, to his own surprise, the Miami Heat, who had the 5th pick in the draft picked him earlier than anybody’s expectations.
When Dwyane Wade Talked About his Draft Class
In an appearance on the Knuckleheads podcast following his retirement from the NBA in 2019, Dwyane Wade, had a long chat with former players Darius Miles and Quentin Richardson.
Like the rest of the country, he was assured that he’ll be picked somewhere from #4 to #20 after LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Bosh get selected.
But getting picked as the number 5th pick just blew his mind and “everything went numb,” for him, as at the time he thought he’d get to play for the Bulls who had the 7th pick in the hands and were in dire need of a guard with Jay Williams getting into a career-ending injury.
Numb with happiness.
Wade was excited to be the 5th pick and play in Miami
If Darko Milicic wasn’t picked so high (#2), D-Wade would have played in either the Denver Nuggets (who picked Carmelo) or the Toronto Raptors (who picked Bosh), but thanks to Detroit Pistons for doing that and letting these legends create what they created.
And among that lot was somebody who was so humble that he was surprised to be picked up by the Heat. He became the most instant hit in the league, leading them to a championship in his third year.
Wade won the Finals MVP while averaging 34.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, playing alongside 3x Finals MVP Shaquille O’Neal. Although because of injuries his career did not attain the projection it shot for, he did end up among the NBA’s greatest 75 players of all time.
When you pick Mount Rushmore of shooting guards, this man would always be there in top-5 or probably even three, just behind Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
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