Dwyane Wade still had two, maybe three, more years of basketball-court life yet to live. But at the age of 37 years, in 2019, Wade retired, bringing his 13-time All-star and incredibly successful NBA career to an end. The Miami Heat megastar was done with ball, and he has no regrets. Wade went on TheEllenShow to confess how much “better I feel in the morning” after retiring.

“My knees don’t hurt. My hips don’t hurt. I’m not stressing as much,” declared Wade, reaffirming his intentions of never playing ball again. However, in another appearance on a show, his career was compared with that of LeBron James.

Could Wade have been more James-like?

Shannon Sharpe welcomes 3x NBA champion Dwyane Wade on the 84th episode of Club Shay Shay. Sharpe speculated, “How many more years do you think LeBron can play at this level?” Nobody, in the history of the NBA or another sport has had a 20-year peak. LeBron James is a legend for a reason. Wade admits that James can keep up his game as long as “he doesn’t get injured.”

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Furthermore, Wade thinks James is built differently. “One of his legs is the two of mine put together…he ain’t built like a normal person…God gave him that blessing.” Wade succinctly points out how different LeBron James is, physically and mentally, from the rest of the players.

Read more: “I’m Really Hurt…That Hit My Ego”: 3X NBA Champion Dwyane Wade on Facing Disrespect in Olympics, Despite Being a Finals MVP

“To keep the mental strong…that’s one of the hardest parts,” says Wade, “…mentally you lose it quicker than even physical sometimes…like mentally I was done really, I had two-three more years.”

You heard him, Dwyane Wade was mentally done with the NBA. He believes that after one has played basketball for a decade, people expect a lot. The pressure is daunting. Wade could never match the mental strength of someone like LeBron James, who continues to play well even in his late thirties. To make things worse, Wade had a career filled with on-court injuries. 

In the first round of the 2006 playoffs, Wade seriously injured his hip during a Game 5. The same season, Wade missed 31 games due to his injuries. While playing against the Houston Rockets in 2007, Wade dislocated his left shoulder and had to be taken off-court in a wheelchair. He had to undergo surgery, and the knee ailments continued to affect his game. He had to miss the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in the summer of 2007.

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Dwyane Wade’s hesitance to come back and play is palpable. Wade feels his body can’t endure the game anymore. Physical injuries and mental taxations were huge barriers for Wade. While we’d all love for this NBA Hall of Famer to come back to the court, for now, we simply wish him a happy and healthy retirement!