Wanting To Control His Own Narrative, Dwyane Wade Delves Into Why He’s Starting His Own Podcast ‘The Why’

The podcasting world is soon to feature one of the most accomplished basketball players ever. Retired Miami Heat superstar and Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade is also launching his podcast, called ‘The Why with Dwyane Wade’. Furthermore, when asked what his thoughts were behind beginning this venture, the South Beach icon had a simple reason.

In an interview with the Boardroom, Wade explained how he intends to remove miscommunication with his fans,

“You’ve got journalists and people who just decide to wake up one day and say something about you. Sometimes they control the story because they’re first to report it. Now, you have athletes with the opportunity to control their narrative, and I think that’s powerful.”

Wade further explained that athletes are storytellers but are often misquoted or misinterpreted, causing people to build a negative perception of them. The Hall of Famer is starting a podcast to give athletes a platform to speak without inhibitions and filters.

The 2010 MVP is starting with a bang. The first episode of ‘The Why with Dwyane Wade’ is a two-parter featuring Hall of Famers Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker, and Pau Gasol. Between the four of them, they have won ten NBA titles and three Finals MVP awards. However, this star-studded cast wasn’t Wade’s first choice for his debut episode. He said,

“I had a couple of people that I really wanted to start this off with. And definitely from a Miami standpoint, Pat Riley and David Grutman, I wanted to make sure that I put them in there.“

While Wade’s wish didn’t come to fruition, the Nowitzki, Parker, and Gasol trio is a terrific trade-off. They have been the pillars of the NBA and fans would love to listen to their stories from their playing days.

Dwyane Wade joins a stellar roster of NBA podcasters

Dwyane Wade is among the most accomplished NBA players to start a podcast. However, he isn’t the first. Or even the tenth. There’s a plethora of former and current NBA players that have their podcasts, with their own unique selling points.

JJ Redick‘s The Old Man and the Three podcast is for basketball savants interested in learning about the game’s intricacies. His day job involves getting into screaming matches on First Take. However, on his podcast, Redick enjoys the company of NBA stars and discusses the minute details of basketball. It’s one of the finest podcasts for people interested in learning about the sport.

Paul George‘s Podcast P is arguably the best player-hosted show on the internet. The Clippers superstar’s cozy chemistry with his guests and the incredible stories they tell make this one of the finest sports podcasts. In under a year, Podcast P’s subscription base on YouTube has ballooned to 670,000.

Golden State Warriors‘ Draymond Green also has his podcast. The Draymond Green Show doesn’t post new episodes often, but when it does, they are exceptional. Green is among the best trash-talkers in the game. He has no filter and speaks what’s on his mind, and this rawness of the show makes it stand out among the rest.

Other active NBA players like Trae Young and Michael Porter Jr. and retired stars like Gilbert Arenas and Kevin Garnett also have their podcasts. Wade will have his work cut out trying to stand out amongst the slew of basketball talent that’s podcasting. However, Wade built a legacy out of defying the odds. Few underdogs are as dangerous as Dwayne Wade. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if his new show is an instant hit among fans.