Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal formed one of the NBA’s most dominant duos in the mid-2000s. But unlike many star pairings, they never let egos get in the way. Speaking on Pardon My Take, Wade shut down the notion that there was ever a “Batman and Robin” dynamic that caused friction during their Miami Heat run.
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According to him, Shaq never had any issues with who took the last shot or who was seen as “the guy.” When asked if he ever wanted to be “Superman” instead of “Flash,” referencing the duo’s nicknames, Wade explained there was no need for such a power struggle.
“He was one of the biggest stars in the world. He had three championships, like, he was so accomplished and secure by the time he got to Miami,” Wade said. As per Flash, Superman only had one thing on his mind: winning another championship. He was also fresh out of the Lakers drama, so he wasn’t looking to go through that again in Miami.
Not only was Shaq comfortable with Wade taking the lead, he actively fueled his rise. Wade credited Shaq for instilling confidence in him early on, saying the big man constantly told him he’d be one of the greatest two guards to ever play the game. “He really pumped a lot of juice into me. He was telling me things that I didn’t even know was true,” Wade said.
Wade took those encouraging words seriously because the big fella had some incredible athletes in the past. That also helped establish order in Miami, and the result was everything they could’ve hoped for. Shaq and Wade won a championship together in 2006.
Shaquille O’Neal used reverse psychology on Dwyane Wade in 2006
After making it to the NBA Finals in 2006, the Heat’s campaign took a massive blow in the first two games. They were down 0-2 and were on track to get swept. While DWade did his best in the first two games, his efforts alone weren’t enough to help his team. Shaq, on the other hand, was having a terrible time on the floor. In Game 2, he had just five points.
So, when it was a do-or-die moment in the series, Shaq tried a psychological trick to help DWade take charge and bring the trophy home. The Heat legend talked about his interaction with the big fella on Carmelo Anthony’s 7PM in Brooklyn.
“[Shaq] tried to use a little reverse psychology on me…We’re down 0-2 and Shaq is not playing up to Shaq’s standards… What he did to me is, he just kind of put it on me… So, he put a little fire under me, like, ‘Yo, this is your time. I already got three rings. What you gon do?”
His trick worked. Wade took off and averaged 39.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.5 steals in the next four games. The Heat closed the series with four straight wins, and for his brilliant performance, DWade earned his first and only FMVP.
