Dwyane Wade used his social media to enlighten his fans about the one practice that he would religiously follow before every game. Taking to Instagram, while using an iconic Deion Sanders quote as the caption, Wade revealed a ‘shoes-socks’ pre-game ritual that most of his fans wouldn’t be aware of.
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Wade began the video by admitting that he once tried something before a game and ended up performing really well. Being the superstitious player that he was, The Flash ended up turning it into a ritual.
“Alright, Imma give you guys a little insight on something that was consistent in every game… This for me is just something that happened one time cause I played very well and I wanted to make sure that it was consistent,” Wade said.
Different players have different beliefs. One of the 6ft 4” combo guard believed that if he put on his left socks and shoe before the right socks and shoe, he’d have a great game. Detailing every aspect behind him putting on his socks and shoes, Wade disclosed how this was the last thing he did before leaving his locker room.
“I always had to put on my left socks first. If anybody know me, normally you have tape on your ankles, so it takes a little while to get these socks over the tape… But once I got my sock on, it was always important for me, especially my last season, show the little orange thing (inverts socks a little bit)… I always put on my left game shoe first. Make sure it felt good, make sure it felt tight… This was the last thing I did before I left my locker,” Wade admitted.
Dwyane Wade even used a famous Deion Sanders saying as his caption. Sanders would often preach the importance of looking good during a game. The NFL legend believed looking good would ultimately make sure that a player played well, which inevitably resulted in getting paid well.
D-Wade put a lot of focus on his physical appearance during his playing days. Apart from grooming pretty well, the athletic player would also dress his best. Eventually, the two-way star retired with one of the most decorated resumes for a guard in the modern NBA – 13 All-Star appearances, eight All-NBA Teams, a scoring title, three championships, and a Finals MVP.
With it having worked out for the star, it’s hard to blame him for having followed his superstitions, no matter how humorous they may seem.
The other rituals of Dwyane Wade
Dwayne Wade was quite a superstitious player. A man with many pre-game rituals, the previously mentioned ‘shoes-socks’ practice was merely one of them. Over the course of his illustrious 16-year career, the Marquette alum’s rituals become a reason for fans to attend the games.
The Miami Heat’s all-time scorer pre-game pullup ritual grabbed the attention of fans from around the world. A practice inspired by Vince Carter, the guard would start performing pullups, hanging from the rim.
Dwyane Wade’s next iconic ritual involved LeBron James. During the latter’s stint with the Miami Heat, the two would pretend-box on the sideline before tip-off.
There are many current and former players in the NBA, that believe in one superstition or the other. However, given the number he followed, it’s likely that Wade was the most superstitious NBA player of all time.
