Dwyane Wade has never been one to shy away from a little playful trash talk. And just because he’s retired, doesn’t mean he won’t do it now. When Rae Burrell recently appeared on his podcast, Wade couldn’t resist sizing her up. Although it was all said and done in fun, there might’ve been a hint of truth in it.
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Wade has been a long-time supporter of women’s basketball. As an icon of the sport, he takes it upon himself to promote the game so that his daughter’s generation can also have someone to look up to. He wants the WNBA to reach the same heights as the NBA.
“The big part of that is that my son, Zaire, grew up and he had a dream of being in the NBA. He had a dream of being like his favorite players. You understand the importance of role models and so, I want my daughter to have that same feeling,” he told CBS News.
Even after hanging his boots six years ago, Wade keeps himself in great shape. So, if he laces up, who knows what direction the matchup will go?
Welcoming Burrell on his podcast, Wade said, “I got an opportunity to size up [Rae Burrell] at one of the events…She ain’t as nice as she thinks she is.”
The LA Sparks star didn’t have a rebuttal for Wade’s statement. She sat there in silence as the NBA legend commented before they moved on to a different subject. Only Wade knows if he was being playful or if he really meant it. Considering he’s only been retired for nearly half a decade, he might be able to size up the 24-year-old on the court.
Wade gave an important advice to Burrell
Toward the end of the podcast, Burrell talked about how lucky she feels to have a veteran like Dearica Hamby take her under her wings. The 31-year-old is a mother of two kids and was an All-Star last year. Burrell is very impressed by her career trajectory and wishes to follow in her footsteps.
Wade appreciated this mentality that the 24-year-old has and advised her to not change when she becomes an All-Star. He said, “When you become an All-Star and all that, don’t lose this mentality that you have right now…What you’re gonna become is…that veteran for the next generation…They’re gonna see this is how a pro looks.”
The NBA legend said that players who don’t grow around veterans don’t know how to be veterans when their time comes. He told Burrell that if she continues with this mindset, she’ll become one of the greats of the game.
