It’s always tough when a parent has to miss out on important life experiences with their kids because of special circumstances. They want to be there as much for their children and watch as they grow and adapt to the world around them. Dwyane Wade was one of those parents who missed out on big life moments when his son Zaire was away trying to go pro in basketball. It’s made him excited and grateful for his daughter Zaya, whom he’s going to drop off at college later this summer.
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Zaire Wade opted out of college and decided to go pro instead. He joined a prep school called Brewster Academy after high school, where he made basketball his focus. Zaire had scholarship offers from several colleges after heading Brewster’s national program, but he instead went to the G-League.
While Dwyane was proud of his son, the lack of father-son college experiences made him somewhat sad. He also had to drop him off during COVID.
“I dropped Zaire off at Brewster Academy, which is prep school. That’s as close as I got to dropping the kid off. That was during COVID. It wasn’t the experience. So, I haven’t gotten this college experience with my kid,” Wade shared on Time Out.
It sounded like the lack of memories hit Wade hard. All of the circumstances during the time added up to a weird transition period that should’ve felt more momentous to him. He was short-changed of a core memory.
But the good news is that his daughter Zaya is going off to college at the end of the summer. This time, Wade is going to make the most of it.
“My daughter is going to college later in the summer, towards the end of it. So, orientation, I gotta go drop her off, and be there. And then she’s moving into her place. I get to be a part of that. Those are all of the things I want to do. Like, I’m excited for it. And you’re thankful that your kids want you to do those things with them,” Wade said.
It’s nice how close Wade is to his children. He’s always said that Zaya trusts him quite a bit and that the two talk for hours sometimes.
“We have regular conversations about anything. Chicken fingers, French fries, mustard… I always create moments with my village, with my people. Especially my kids. I’m going to find these moments to create with them,” Wade once said.
It’s important for a dad of Wade’s status to continually find those moments to share with his kids. He’s a busy guy with a ton of people pulling him in different directions. So, kudos to him for always carving out time to spend with the family.
All in all, Wade is one of the biggest fatherly figures in NBA culture. He’s at times advised on how to become a better parent. And he yet again showed in his latest podcast why he’s such a good dad. It’s not just that he’s going to be there for his kids, it’s that he wants to be there.
