Most NBA superstars’ offspring are anticipated to follow in their parents’ footsteps. Marcus Jordan, for instance, faced great expectations to emulate his father Michael Jordan’s remarkable achievements. Similarly, Zaire Wade was burdened with the same aspirations to replicate the NBA successes of his father, Dwyane Wade. Although Zaire showed promise as a highly regarded prospect during his high school years, he ended up being drafted as the 10th pick by the Salt Lake City Stars, a G-League team. Zaire’s trajectory mirrored that of other players in his draft class, including Jalen Green and Scoot Henderson. However, six years prior to signing his professional basketball contract, a young Zaire became increasingly critical and unimpressed with his father’s playing style and technique on the night.
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Surprisingly, Zaire failed to achieve a comparable level of accomplishment as his father, Dwyane Wade. Wade boasts three NBA championships and has made 13 All-Star appearances throughout his 16-season career. In contrast, Zaire has only managed to average 1.8 points per game and 1.3 assists per game in his brief tenure in the NBA G-League. Currently, Zaire is competing overseas for the Cape Town Tigers in the Basketball Africa League.
Zaire Wade was critical of his father Dwyane Wade’s dunking skills in the NBA
Following the Miami Heat’s 97-95 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in December 2015, with Dwyane Wade leading his team to victory, a noteworthy game unfolded. Wade scored an impressive 28 points, while Russell Westbrook of the Thunder contributed 25 points, making them the standout performers. Despite their remarkable performances, Zaire, Dwyane Wade’s son, appeared somewhat unimpressed and cautious about his father’s dunking abilities. During a post-game interview, Zaire openly expressed his genuine sentiments regarding his father’s playing style and the game-winning performance against the Thunder.
When the interviewer asked Zaire if he gave D.Wade a hard time about dunking, he reviewed his dad’s performance, saying:
“Yeah I do… He did alright, he was clutch.”
To this, Dwyane Wade seemed to agree with his son’s critical review of him. D.Wade responded to the interviewer and said:
“That’s the best thing [review] to get…coming from my son. I’m good, I’m gonna be good. Good Night!”
During that time, it was evident that Wade’s career was approaching its twilight phase. He would go on to have short one-season tenures with the Chicago Bulls and the Cleveland Cavaliers. In 2019, Wade ultimately retired with the Miami Heat.
Zaire Wade impressed his father in his first BAL game
Following a disappointing beginning to his professional journey, Zaire made the decision to transition from the G-League to explore opportunities overseas. Ultimately, he found his place with the Cape Town Tigers in the Basketball Africa League. As Zaire showcased his potential and talent, his father, Dwyane Wade, began to feel a sense of pride.
Displaying his affectionate side as a father, D. Wade took to his Instagram stories to share his son’s achievements. It appeared that D. Wade was elated by Zaire’s impressive contested layups and scoring a career-high of 17 points. Despite the Tigers’ loss with a score of 76-82, it’s evident that father Wade continues to harbor hope for another chance for his son in the NBA.
