To be in the Hall of Fame, everyone has their own journey. Dwyane Wade, with three championships, and Charles Barkley, with none, have cemented their place. The legacy of players is not limited to just ring culture, which makes the grind even meaningful. D-Wade got his moment back in 2023, but this year, he was back in Springfield with a different responsibility. It candidly reminded him of a time when he saw the 76ers legend do the same.

On his podcast, the Heat icon spoke about this year’s HoF experience. Not only did he earn his second enshrinement due to the Redeem Team, but Wade had more duties on that day for his loved ones. He was the presenter for Carmelo Anthony and Micky Arison, who etched their status. So, the 3x NBA champion had to be on stage thrice, which reminded him of the time when he saw Charles Barkley on the stage constantly.”So when it was me, when I was headed back to the seat, and they was like, ‘No, go back.’ I was like, ‘I feel like I feel like Chuck. I feel like I feel like Chuck, man.’”

Let’s add context: any person inducted into the Hall of Fame can choose presenters, but they have to be previously enshrined. In fact, this rule to Wade realised once he saw Chuck hustling during the 2021 Hall of Fame ceremony. “I went, it was Chris Bosh Hall of Fame, okay. And Charles Barkley was like I didn’t… that’s when I first learned that it had to be a Hall of Famer. He or she has to be a Hall of Famer to present you into the Hall of Fame.”

Naturally, the pool of selection becomes short. During the 2021 ceremony, the 76ers legend was also on the stage thrice, being a presenter on three different occasions. That’s why in this latest episode of The Timeout, Dwyane Wade stated, “I didn’t know that because I’m like’ Why is Charles Barkley going up there for everybody?’ And they was like, ‘Well they got to pick Hall of Famers.’ I was like uh, so um, but I watched him like go in up and down up and down. ”

First, for 2x Coach of the Year, Cotton Fitzsimmons, who was posthumously enshrined. He was responsible for leading and being the architect of the Suns’ success of the late 1980s and early to mid-1990s. Charles Barkley was also one of the presenters for Bill Russell’s second induction into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame. Yes, the Celtics legend induction in 2021 was for his role as a coach, as he led the Boston Celtics to two titles as a player-coach. Chuck was up on the stage for the third time, and this was for a close friend, Jay Wright.

The former Villanova coach led the Wildcats for over two decades. Success followed him with 15 NCAA Tournament appearances, 3 Final Four appearances, 2 national championships, and 1 Olympic gold for the U.S. men’s national team. So, when it was Wright’s time for enshrinement, he stated, “I wanted to go with the guys from my hometown that were a part of my Philadelphia basketball upbringing.” Specifically for Chuck, Wright added, “Charles Barkley was a good friend and one of the greatest basketball players ever.”

That’s the shared experience of being on the stage three times. Thanks to Chuck, Wade had already witnessed it back in 2021. But being there for people who were closely associated with him was an altogether emotional moment.

Dwyane Wade on Carmelo Anthony’s HoF moment

Melo was very clear on which three people he would like to be his presenters for his first ballot Hall of Fame status. Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, and Dwyane Wade. For the Flash, he had a short message as well. “You got my brother, D-Wade, who’s in there. You better be right here.” MJ was not present, but AI and Wade made sure to support the Knicks legend on his historic chapter. This also signifies their bond, who were once pitted against each other from the famous 2003 draft class.

But with every passing year in the NBA, their bond only got stronger. Melo was courtside when Dwyane Wade played his last game. So, the excitement for Anthony’s HoF moment was right there. Even before the ceremony kicked off in Springfield, Massachusetts, D-Wade couldn’t contain his excitement. On Instagram Story, he wrote, “Tonite my brother goes into the HALL!” and shared a white cloth engraved with “STAYME7O.” We even got glimpses from the after-party, which Melo hosted.

Dwyane Wade gave us a full sneak peek into the Hall of Fame celebration on Instagram, posting a carousel of images with poses and clinking champagne glasses. He wrote, “We celebrate and we salute you CHAMP! From the west side of B-More to the Hall of Fame! You were born to lose but built to win! It was an honor and privilege to present you into basketball heaven! STAYMELO.” From juggling responsibilities on stage to sharing laughs after, D-Wade truly had a one-of-a-kind night at this year’s enshrinement ceremony.