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Many Years Later, Dwayne Wade Acknowledges Meeting Future 2x NBA All-Star for the First Time in the White House

Published 07/02/2023, 6:50 AM EDT

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Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade has been an inspirational figure both on and off the court. While the star currently inspires society with his off-court activities, Wade had a different role during his NBA career. The 41-year-old influenced various future stars during his career with his balling prowess, including a high-schooler who has gone on to become a 2x NBA All-Star. The heartening story of Wade meeting the future star at the White House was recently acknowledged by the Flash himself.

Coming into the league as a part of the iconic 2003 draft class, the 3x NBA Champion cemented his spot as one of the legends of the game. Despite playing alongside superstars like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Carmelo Anthony, Wade had a massive fan following during his 16-season-long NBA career.

2x NBA All-Star’s first-ever meeting with Dwyane Wade at the White House

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Not many players have the opportunity to play against their idols. However, 31-year-old Victor Oladipo wasn’t one of them. The 2x NBA All-Star has played for multiple franchises in his 10-season-long career, but during his stint with the Heat, he revealed a peculiar story about meeting the franchise’s legend. 

USA Today via Reuters

During an interview, Oladipo opened up about his first-ever interaction with Dwyane Wade during his High School says. He opened up about Wade’s inspirational words during the Father’s Day dinner at the White House. He also added how the 13x NBA All-Star surprisingly showed up at the event and interacted with the kids. 

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Moreover, he added how Wade’s response to his question inspired him to become an NBA star. Oladipo asked about coach Tom Crean and Wade said, “He’s the reason why I’m the man I’m today.” Interestingly, after many years, Wade acknowledged his first interaction with Oladipo by sharing the resurfaced video on his IG story. 

 

 

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A post shared by Dwyane Wade (@wade_legacy)

Furthermore, the star also credited Wade for his success as he said, “Dwayne has a lot of responsibility for my success.”

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What does Oladipo’s future look like in the league?

The 31-year-old star suffered a season-ending injury in April. Moreover, the Heat traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder for future draft compensation recently. Adrian Wojnarowski, a senior ESPN NBA insider, tweeted, “He’s [Oladipo] well-regarded in the Thunder organization from his one previous season there.”

Oladipo came off the bench and played an average of 26 minutes per game for the Heat last season. On the other hand, will he get more game time on the Thunder roster? Well, we have to wait to witness. 

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Read More – Days After Shocking ‘Greatest Career’ Claim, Dwyane Wade Reminisces About Bond With LeBron James: “Every Time…Give Them a Show”

Victor Oladipo’s narration of his first interaction with Wade is a testament to the respect he holds for the Heat legend. 

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Written by:

Shahul Hameed

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Shahul Hameed is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports, where he brings his passion for sports and entertainment journalism to life. With a Master's Degree in journalism from a reputed institute and years of experience in the industry, Shahul always strives to provide insightful and astute coverage of the NBA to the fans. Shahul's love for sports writing dates back to his college days.
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Edited by:

Pragya Vashisth