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“Shut People Up”: Unable to Relate to Son’s Struggles, Dwyane Wade Gives Zaire Advice on Thriving Despite Family Name

Dylan Edenfield
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Feb 16, 2019; Charlotte, NC, USA; Team Lebron guard Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat (3) with his son Zaire Blessing Dwyane Wade during NBA All-Star Game practice at the Bojangles Coliseum.

Some sons of former NBA players, such as Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, easily broke into the league and accomplished far more than their fathers did at the professional level. On the flipside, there are sons of former players who aspire to be like their fathers but haven’t been able to break through yet. This is the case with Dwyane Wade and his 23-year-old son, Zaire.

When Wade was asked how difficult it is for his son to try to play basketball with the Wade name, the Heat legend acknowledged that it had to be tough, but also was adamant that name recognition doesn’t matter once Zaire steps on the court. D-Wade didn’t have this same pressure growing up, so this is a completely new experience for the Hall of Famer.

Unlike Shannon Sharpe, who hosted the former guard on his show, Club Shay Shay, Wade didn’t have a professional athlete father or brother to set the standard for greatness. His father notably put him through grueling training on his path to stardom, but Wade’s dad was far from an NBA-worthy talent.

“I had an older brother who was good, but he wasn’t Hall of Fame good. He wasn’t at the level of the Sharpes … And so I have no idea what Zaire is experiencing from that standpoint, and I can’t act like I know,” Wade said. “But for me, and to me, none of that really matters when you in between those lines.”

Wade stressed that having a father who played in the league can get you looks from teams or get you talked about, but your performance on the court will determine your level of success. “So for me, it’s about what you do when you get between the lines. That’s what all determines if you shut people up, or you keep them talking,” the 43-year-old continued.

Wade has warned his son regarding his path to the NBA. Already two years out of college, Zaire has played in both the NBA G League and in Africa, but he shouldn’t be expecting a call from an NBA team just because of his last name.

D-Wade warned Zaire about his basketball aspirations

Dwyane Wade made his stance clear while talking to Sharpe, but he’s also told Zaire straight to his face that he has to practice and succeed like a pro before he should expect any real regonition. His last name won’t be earning Zaire any shortcuts in this business.

“You have to be a pro,” Wade said“it don’t matter what your name is, how talented you are, you have to show up every day as a pro.” Zaire is still a young player who may not have hit his peak yet, but he’ll need to truly lock in if he hopes to reach the pinnacle of the sport.

Zaire has shared his dreams of making the NBA in the past, but unfortunately, those dreams appear to be fading away. Never viewed as a difference-making prospect during the draft process, Zaire will have to continue to prove he’s more than just an overseas talent before he catches the eye of an NBA team.

His father will continue to support him in this, as he has also done for Zaire’s sister, Zaya. Both Dwyane and his wife Gabrielle Union have been the model of parenting, protecting their son from trolls who see him as nothing more than his father’s name and their daughter from a world that criminalizes her existence.

Post Edited By:Thilo Latrell Widder

About the author

Dylan Edenfield

Dylan Edenfield

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Dylan Edenfield is an NBA journalist at The SportRush. He has written 500+ basketball articles for various websites since starting the venture in 2016, as a freshman in high school. Dylan has been a writer and graphic designer for PalaceofPistons.com, a Detroit Pistons-based Substack and podcast, since 2016. As an avid Detroit Pistons fan, contributing and building relationships with fellow writers truly sparked his love for NBA coverage. Dylan graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan in December 2023 with a Communications major in Media Arts & Studies and a minor in Sports Management. Dylan hoped to combine these two focuses to break into the professional sports journalism landscape. Outside of sports, Dylan is an avid gamer and occasionally likes to try other art forms, including drawing and painting. When it comes to something he creates, Dylan goes the extra mile to ensure his work is as good as it can be.

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