LeBron James took his talents to South Beach in 2010. Following his decision, people favored the Miami Heat to be the champions. With him, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh on the same team, anything seemed possible. But things didn’t go as planned as Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks stumped the Heat in the 2011 NBA finals. What was worse was the aftermath of the defeat. The media was on full fire against the team, especially the King.

During a recent episode of ‘Club Shay Shay’, the weekly podcast hosted by Shannon Sharpe, the special guest was Dwyane Wade. He explained his role in the change in LeBron and how Wade acted as a leader in order for the team to win.

Dwyane Wade had to be unselfish to lead his team

The Heat lost the 2011 NBA finals. In the following year, the world witnessed the true peak of LeBron James. He showed his dominance on both ends of the floor. There were many factors that allowed him to change in his second year in Miami. Recently, Dwyane Wade revealed his role in the transition.

A few months after their defeat to the Mavericks in 2011, LeBron, Wade, and the coaching staff were having a discussion about the reason for their loss. Dwyane explained to Sharpe that he listened to everyone talking, even LeBron. But at that moment, Wade realized that LeBron was still being hesitant.

Read More: “Cheap” and “Selfish” Michael Jordan Once Splashed $100,000,000 for a Noble Cause

Wade knew instantly that for them to reach the level they wanted to, they needed LeBron to be the player he was. The Miami Heat legend said, “You have to be who you are, and that’s, besides Kobe, is the game’s greatest player. I can’t stand in the way of that. I can’t let my pride, my ego stand in the way of that.“

In their first season together, they both averaged close to the same points. But Wade let LeBron know that he should dominate, have the killer instinct, and take as many shots as he wanted. He should never be focused on Wade or his other teammates getting shots.

The transition was tough for both of them

Dwyane Wade realized that LeBron often did not take multiple shots in a row. Then he realized that James thought that Flash should also be getting the ball. But he had to convince the King that that’s what was needed for the team to win. It was tough on Wade to let himself play a lesser role for the team to succeed.

That’s because he was the main guy in Miami before LeBron arrived. Dwyane was stunned when he heard LeBron make the claim for 7 rings, but he also dreamed of winning championships together.

Wade was used to being the leader of the team and taking the big shots. So delegating his role to someone else was harder than it seemed. But he knew that he should prioritize the team and do whatever was necessary for the team to win.

Watch This Story: Three Reasons Why Patrick Mahomes is Currently The Best Quarterback in The World