In a recent episode of Club Shay Shay, Dwyane Wade described to Shannon Sharpe about growing up in an impoverished community in Chicago. He talked about the importance of how he and his ‘homeboys’ realized their own dreams of making it to the league eventually. He talked about how supportive friends are important, giving the example of Maverick Carter in LeBron James’ life. However, when the same friends start relying on one of their mates’ success, its important to create boundaries. D-Wade revealed how his wife Gabrielle Union helped him understand and create those boundaries.
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Well, not everyone is always appreciative of Dwyane Wade and his friends. Wade’s former business partner Richard Von Houtman once claimed that Wade and his friends were rather ‘idiots’ in terms of doing business. After Houtman and Wade’s restaurant chain business went down crashing, with the former claimed that the Flash’s media persona was a farce, compared to his in reality.
Dwyane Wade revealed how his wife Gabrielle Union helped him set boundaries with his crew
Dwyane Wade grew up with a whole set of friends, whom he referred to as his crew. These young boys grew up with a tough life in Chicago, all wishing to live their dreams and aspirations at some point. D-Wade dreamed of becoming a star NBA player, which he did after getting drafted in 2003. Riding on Wade’s successes as a player, his crew relied too much on his success, often not leaving his side even when he was at home.
When Gabrielle Union came into D-Wade’s life, he had taught the Miami Heat star how to set boundaries. Shannon Sharpe asked Wade if his crew’s persistent reliance on him was pulling him down, to which the four-time NBA champion promptly agreed. He talked about how his friends were not serious about realizing their own dreams, as Wade did. Intervening in this situation, Gabriel Union said,
“What’s going on in this frat house? Y’all got going on? What’s up in this dorm room?”
Dwyane Wade emphasized how Gabrielle Union’s intervention and coming into his life helped him realize this phenomenon. He learned to set his boundaries and make it clear to his friends to not rely on his successes. He used the example of LeBron James’ friend Maverick Carter, who turned into a successful sports entrepreneur following his best friend’s success. That, as Dwyane Wade believes, are the kind of friends that one would need in their lives.
Maverick Carter used the circle of LeBron James to turn his life around on a positive note
Growing up in Akron, Ohio, Maverick Carter would have never imagined the level that he has reached today. He was a friend of LeBron James and made a living during his teenage days by dealing in weed. However, once James climbed the ladder of NBA’s successes, Carter used Bron’s influence and the people around him to turn his life around.
Carter joined in with James to become his partner for several businesses. One of his first stints as an intern at Nike sparked his curiosity further. He played a pivotal role in shaping LeBron’s off-court ventures and building his brand on a global level. Currently, Carter is the CEO of the media company SpringHill Entertainment and founder of the sports agency LRMR.
Carter had realized his untapped strategic acumen. negotiation skills, and understanding of the industry which propelled his success. This is one of the best examples of how he was inspired by his friend’s success to build his own life on a positive note.
