“For me, it was family time growing up,” Dwyane Wade recalled about one of his favorite games—one that not only shaped his childhood but also strengthened his bond with his siblings. The three-time NBA champion, known for his relentless competitive spirit on the court, carries that same energy into this game. However, his fierce determination almost came at a cost—his marriage. After repeated losses, Wade made a tough call: breaking his ultimate partnership to save both his relationship and his shot at victory.

The game? Spades. Wade has been a regular participant in the Stance Spades Tournament, held during the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend. But until last year, he had never managed to clinch the title. To finally claim the championship, he had to make a bold decision—switching his longtime Spades partner, his wife Gabrielle Union, for his brother.

“So normally, it’s been my wife. But something about being married to your partner… it don’t always go the right way,” Wade admitted on his podcast. “We’d have some conversations after playing Spades in the kitchen late at night—like, ‘Why the f—k did you play that?’ So for the betterment of our relationship, my brother subbed in, and we won last year.”

Wade further explained that playing with his brother came naturally since they had spent their childhood honing their Spades skills together. “I grew up playing with my brother, so even though we don’t play together as much now, we still have that unspoken connection—that look,” he said. He also praised his brother’s skills, admitting that at times, he was even better than him.

Despite the switch, Wade and Union have shared a strong bond as Spades partners. In a past interview, Wade had nothing but praise for his wife. “My favorite Spades partner is my wife—and I’m not just saying that to stay on her good side. For real, that’s who I rock with. That’s who I play with. We’ve lost together, but we’ve won more than we’ve lost,” he told The Undefeated. However, this time, Wade prioritized keeping arguments out of the equation, teaming up with his brother instead. The result? A long-awaited victory after more than five years of trying.

Dwyane Wade Over the Moon After Winning Spades Tournament

Wade finally secured his Spades championship by defeating American sports journalist Taylor Rooks at the Stance Spades Tournament. Celebrating his victory, the Miami Heat legend shared pictures from the event on Instagram, writing, “Winner!!!! Who wanna see us on the ♠️ table!??? NOBODY! I have a year to talk my talk.” Clearly, he’s still savoring the win.

His love for Spades runs so deep that he was the one who pitched the idea of hosting the tournament in the first place. Having maintained a strong relationship with apparel brand Stance, Wade casually suggested creating an event for fellow Spades lovers during an All-Star Weekend meeting. Over time, the tournament grew into a major highlight, with new elements continuously being added.

“I’ve been playing Spades since I was a kid… I played with my parents. It was family time growing up. It’s a rite of passage if you’re a Wade,” he once shared. But this time, Rooks—who also hosted the event—ended up taking home the trophy. Looks like DWade might need a few more lessons from his big brother!