“That First Finals Against Hakeem Olajuwon”: Dwyane Wade’s Nervousness in 2006 Finals Reminded Shaquille O’Neal of Himself

After his arrival at the Miami Heat, Shaquille O’Neal had become a guardian and mentor figure for an emerging, young Dwyane Wade. Shaq had immense faith in D-Wade’s capability to become the future superstar of the Heat franchise. Unfamiliar with the pressure of an NBA Finals series, Shaq’s guidance helped the young Flash to claim the Finals MVP after winning the 2006 championship.

The Heat faced a formidable Dallas Mavericks team led by the German Wunderkind Dirk Nowitzki and guard Jason Terry. Wade’s nervousness was obviously visible, which reminded Shaq a lot of himself facing Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets in his first Finals appearance in 1995. In his 2012 autobiography, Shaq Uncut, the Big Diesel wrote,

“DWade reminded me a little bit of myself when I was in that first Finals against Hakeem. He was being too nice, too respectful of the opponent.” 

Shaq wanted to bring out Wade’s competitive nature, which would spark his hunger to clench the series. Trying to motivate the young star, O’Neal told Wade, “Get mean. Get hungry. You can take over this series.” 

Being one of the premier centers of that time, Shaq was being guarded from all fronts by the Mavs’ defense. If D-Wade hadn’t stepped up, it would have cost the Heat their NBA Finals. Adding to this, Shaq wrote,

“They were fronting me and backing me, so I couldn’t do shit. DWade needed to step up and take over. I told him, ‘All we’ve got to do is win one game, and then we’ve got them. Trust me, I know those boys from Dallas. They’re going to get tight. Jason Terry never did like pressure.'”

The Heat had to win one game with D-Wade stepping up, as Shaq had realized Jason Terry’s tendency to succumb under pressure. In Game 6 of the series, Wade posted 36 points while Miami rallied from a 14-point first-half deficit to clinch their first NBA championship.

Interestingly, Shaq was right in his assessment of Jason Terry as the Mavs guard missed a critical 3-pointer that would have sent the game to overtime. With an average of 34.7 points, Wade was crowned the Finals MVP, all thanks to the motivation and inspiration he received from O’Neal.

More than that, Wade was one of the finest guards in the league, and even though it was his first NBA finals, D-Wade showed a highlight of what was to come in time. However, Shaq thinks that the three-time NBA champion was not as tough as the great Kobe Bryant.

Shaquille O’Neal believed Dwyane Wade to be not as tough as Kobe Bryant

Being part of both the Lakers and the Heat organizations, Shaquille O’Neal had witnessed the rise of Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade from being young prospects to league superstars. Alongside Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal was at the peak of his form, winning the Finals MVP in all his appearances during the three-peat campaign. Though Shaq and Kobe both feuded over their differences, O’Neal always lauded Bryant for his toughness as a player.

After moving to Miami, Shaq realized the same potential in Dwyane Wade. However, he could not see the same level of toughness as Kobe in the young Heat star. Describing his level of toughness on Kobe, D-Wade, and LeBron James, Shaq wrote in his autobiography,

“I was a 10 with Kobe, a 4 with DWade, and a 1 with LeBron. I didn’t say anything to LeBron—didn’t have to. He had it figured out at a very young age.”

Shaq’s remarks on Kobe’s toughness, compared to the next generation of NBA superstars, speak volumes of the Lakers’ superstar work ethic. Kobe Bryant’s ‘Mamba Mentality’ was indeed a lifestyle that helped him win five championships, defining his career. His mindset was adopted by several new stars of the league, who have found imminent success being inspired by the late Lakers legend.