Dwyane Wade came into the NBA as the 5th pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. However, prior to any of the fame and the money he garnered from being a superstar in the NBA, Wade would have one woman by his side: Siovaughn Funches.
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Wade met Funches as a mere 9 year old as the two grew up together and eventually started dating in high school. It wouldn’t take long for them to tie the knot and before they knew it, they had two children together; Zaya Wade and Zaire Wade. After half a decade of marriage however, they would look to separate in 2007.
The biggest concern when it came to their divorce would be the custody battle that would ensue over their two children. Wade, being the person who was earning more, would be the apt choice for receiving sole custody of Zaire and Zaya. Unfortunately for him, it wouldn’t be that easy.
Dwyane Wade confided in his mother about the custody battle
Dwyane Wade was continually being alienated from his kids by Siovaughn for close to two years and this is the reason for why he found it difficult to take his ex-wife to court to fight for sole custody of his children. However, after a talk with his mother, he would take on the challenge.
“That was a very emotional moment for all of us when he decided to go fight for his kids. I remember he said to me, ‘Mom, I’m ready to go all the way. I’m gonna fight for my boys.’ I said, well, ‘We’re here with you, we’re all the way with it.’ He just couldn’t see them out of his life. When he got the word that he got custody, it was the best,” said Dwyane’s mom, Jolinda Wade.
— Raising Fame with the Currys (@raising_fame) March 10, 2020
The final verdict on who got custody over Siovaughn and Dwyane’s children came in March of 2011. Upon his Miami Heat teammates hearing of this, they would give him a round of applause in the locker room. “A huge weight is off my back,” said Wade. “That’s all I was trying to be. A father in my kids’ lives.”
Siovaughn Funches took offense to Zaya Wade’s name
Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union have been incredible supporters of their daughter, Zaya Wade’s, decision to come out as a woman. They encourage her to dress the way she wants, use any pronouns that she likes, and change her name to ‘Zaya’.
This however, didn’t sit right with Zaya’s biological mother, Siovaughn, as she claimed the name change violated the legal custody agreement that they had signed.
She wants Zaya to change her name legally after turning 18, accused Wade of encouraging this behavior for monetary gain, and claimed he never consulted her on the decision in the first place.
