The role of a professional athlete has drastically changed throughout the years. No longer do players have to restrict themselves to the sport performance. In the NBA, many players have begun to assert themselves in the media realm to control the narrative surrounding them. One of the most prominent is Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green. Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade encourages others to follow in Green’s footsteps.
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Green has received a great deal of criticism for his presence on The Draymond Green Show. Many people claim that his commitment to podcasting is a distraction to himself and the team. But that hasn’t stopped him from producing consistent content.
Wade has established his brand as a former player in the media world. He looks to Green as an inspiration to himself and others to follow suit, so he came to Green’s defense.
In a recent episode of Timeout with Dwyane Wade, the three-time NBA champion shed light on why athletes need to have a voice in the media space. “Draymond is going to give you a whole different take about something than you normally would have heard from their beat writer,” Wade said. “I love that we all have these platforms to be able to talk.”
Athletes bring their unique perspectives to media roles. Historically, fans didn’t have the privilege to know what it’s like in the locker room, on the court and inside the life of a player. That barrier has been broken by the numerous current and former players who are speaking on such issues.
Major media companies are taking notice of this shift regarding athletes using their voice as can be seen by Wade’s example. He recently signed a deal to join Amazon’s broadcast team for their NBA coverage, beginning in the 2025-26 season.
Wade’s role for Amazon will include hybrid duties, meaning he will do some work in the studio and some on games. His insight will be a great asset to their studio analysis and in-game commentary.
Numerous other former NBA and WNBA athletes will join Wade on Amazon. Former Heat teammate, Udonis Haslem, along with Steve Nash, Blake Griffin, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash and Candace Parker are among the big names Amazon has brought on board.
Wade has become a natural in front of the mic. It will be exciting to see how he fares in this next chapter of his relationship with the sport.
