Home

NBA

“I Didn’t Recruit LeBron (James)”: Dwyane Wade Claims No Part in “The Decision” While Revealing Pat Riley’s Role

Published 09/21/2023, 9:47 PM EDT

Follow Us

via Imago

It has been more than 12 years since LeBron James became the Biggest Villain in the NBA after he announced that he was taking his talents to South Beach. Spending 7 years in Cleveland and carrying the team to the NBA Finals in 2007, King James gave his all to the Cleveland Cavaliers organization. Failing to win a championship in Cleveland, LeBron made “The Decision” that would change the NBA forever. He teamed up with superstars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to form the Big 3 in Miami. The Miami Heat would go on to dominate the NBA by winning 2 NBA Championships in the next 4 seasons.

Dwyane Wade claimed he played no part in “The Decision” and revealed the Miami Heat President Pat Riley’s role in recruiting LeBron James.

Dwyane Wade’s role in “The Decision”

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Dwyane Wade was a guest on the Club Shay Shay Podcast hosted by NFL legend Shannon Sharpe. Shannon asked Wade how he recruited LeBron in 2010 to form the Big 3 in Miami. The 3-time Champion was initially at a loss for words, finally saying, “I didn’t recruit LeBron.” with a grin on his face. Wade claimed that there are multiple sides to the story, and a lot of things influenced LeBron’s decision to join the Miami Heat. Shannon Sharpe jokingly asked if Pat Riley had anything to do with LeBron’s recruitment. Wade replied, “No well, no that ain’t true.”

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest NBA stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

The Hall of Famer admitted to getting on a call with LeBron and his agent 3 years before they joined forces to curate a contract that would make them a free agent around the same time. “Let’s give ourselves flexibility.” Wade said. But he never thought the two superstars would play together. Flash believed it could happen when the Miami Heat put money aside to get 3 max players and immediately got on a call with King James to discuss the opportunity.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

LeBron James “Decision” Changed the NBA

LeBron James “Decision” created one of the most dominant trios in NBA history. Wade, LeBron, and Bosh wreaked havoc on the league, reaching the NBA finals in all 4 seasons they were together and winning back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013. But the 4-time Champion’s decision did more than that. It changed the way NBA superstars and teams handled trades.

Read More: LeBron James Might’ve Surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the NBA, but Lakers Star Is Still 2000+ Points Behind Basketball’s Greatest Scorer

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

LeBron’s decision started the era of super teams in the NBA. After forming the Big 3 in Miami, LeBron made the players realize they can take control of where they play when they reach a certain level of stardom. Today, the NBA is full of super teams with at least two or three All-Stars playing on the same team. And it all started with LeBron’s “Decision”.

Watch This Story: “Without Kevin Durant, LeBron (James) Got Steph in His Backpocket”: ex-Teammates Give Lakers Superstar an Upper Edge For the 5th Ring

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Rohan Bhaunt

1,230Articles

One take at a time

Rohan is an NBA Content Writer at EssentiallySports. He is a state-level basketball player and has been a fan of the NBA for over a decade. This allows him to deep dive into the sport and provide a fresh outlook.
Show More>

Edited by:

Sameen Nawathe