It isn’t easy to live up to the name of a famous parent, especially when they are a famous athlete. Many people expect the child to follow in their parents’ footsteps. Zaya Wade rejected that notion and went on to carve out her own career path. Although the assumption would be she isn’t athletic like her father, Dwyane Wade, she attests it’s the opposite.
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The Wade family breeds athletes. The majority of people are familiar with Dwyane’s eldest son, Zaire. The 23-year-old decided to pursue a basketball career like Dwyane.
Zaya’s passion is in modeling and fashion. At the young age of 18, she has graced many runways, with her first experience taking place in 2023. She may wear high heels more often than not, but she is more than comfortable lacing up basketball sneakers when needed.
Though her passion is not in sports, basketball flows through Zaya’s blood. She doesn’t play as much as her older brother, but whenever she does, her relation to dad Dwyane Wade is evident without needing a DNA test.
“Not to toot my own horn, but I was a bit of a natural,” Zaya revealed. “I can light it up. I still have a couple of skills.”
Zaya may not train religiously to hone her basketball skills, but she adopted some of her father’s traits. She is a self-proclaimed good shooter, but her weaknesses show when she has to dribble.
Despite her lack of practice, Zaya remains extremely confident in her ability to hold her own on the court. That comes from the Heat legend’s genetics.
“DNA is in there,” Zaya proclaimed. “I would need to refine it a little bit, but the raw talent is still there.”
Zaya isn’t the only daughter of Dwyane’s who has the basketball genes within her. His youngest child, Kaavia, is an avid basketball fan. Her fandom lies with the WNBA’s Chicago Sky, for which her father owns a minority ownership stake.
She has been on record stating she aspires to be as tall as Sky star Angel Reese. If that turns out to be reality, Wade may just have at a potential WNBA superstar in his midst.
No matter what, to Dwyane, all of his children are superstars. Zaya continues to make her father proud, even if basketball isn’t her first love.
