Growing up as a Michael Jordan fan, Dwyane Wade Broke the Bulls Legend’s Record in 2019

Samir Mehdi | 12/07/2023
Years Before Following In Michael Jordan’s $275,000,000 Footsteps, Dwyane Wade’s Love For The Chicago Legend Led To Him Surpassing Him

Growing up in Chicago in the 80s and the 90s meant that you were bound to be a fan of one man, the Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan. Dwyane Wade was one of the millions who grew up in Chi-Town at the height of the Bulls craze. Quite unsurprisingly, Wade always admired MJ and wanted to be like him.

Well, the Miami Heat legend not only solidified himself as one of the greatest 2 guards of all time, but he also managed to break Jordan’s record for most blocks by a guard in NBA History in the course of his career.

A rookie Dwyane Wade was asked during an interview about his love for Michael Jordan. The clip of the interview recently resurfaced as part of an Instagram edit on MJ and D-Wade. Wade can be seen saying in the clip,

“Michael Jordan every day every night. I was pretending I was hitting game winners that he hit and all the moves that he did. He’s the greatest player and he was playing for my hometown team. I loved the Bulls when I was growing up. He was the best player and he was a 2 guard.”

 

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A post shared by Dwyane Wade (@wade_legacy)

The edit then moves to Wade blocking his 1052nd shot while swatting away Atlanta’s B.J. Johnson’s attempt in March of 2019. Therefore, in his final season in 2018-19, the Miami Heat legend surpassed his idol in total blocks in NBA history by a guard. MJ held the previous record of 1051 blocks

Wade knew he couldn’t be Michael Jordan

Dwyane Wade has admitted many times that he does not come from wealth. Growing up in Chicago, Wade and his family were looking to make ends meet.

Finding sustainable jobs in fields like medicine and law were things that helped families out of certain situations. On Club Shay Shay, Wade addressed this and said, wanting to be Michael Jordan was unrealistic as a kid just because of how unlikely it was for a kid to make it to the NBA.

However, in hindsight, Wade is right there behind MJ and Kobe Bryant as one of the greatest shooting guards in the history of the league.

Post Edited By: Satagni Sikder
Bulls Dwyane Wade heat Michael Jordan

About the author

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Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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