From growing up on the South Side to returning after even the Miami Heat let him down, Chicago has always had a place in Dwyane Wade’s heart. He’s back again, and for those who’ve tracked his journey, it’s no surprise. His Chicago ties never truly faded. That’s especially true now with his minority stake in the WNBA’s Chicago Sky. But this time around, Wade’s trip wasn’t just about basketball.

He flew in to rally his Sky squad, turning down a beach day with Gabrielle Union to suit up at Chicago’s practice gym. The three-time NBA champion made a stop at the team’s training facility earlier this week, right after their 93-58 loss to the Indiana Fever. His presence there was more than symbolic—he was there to lift the spirits and help out where he could. But that wasn’t the only place he decided to show up at.

Not long after, another update surfaced—this one on Instagram. “Dwyane Wade visits Barstool Chicago,” read the caption of a video that showed him hanging out at the 22-year-old production company, interacting with the Pardon My Take crew and others. If you weren’t aware, the Pardon My Take podcast is one of Barstool Sports’ biggest hits. And Wade wasn’t just dropping in for a photo op—he had thoughts to share.

As highlighted in Barstool Sports’ post, “@pardonmytake is a top tier podcast & @pftcommenter is a top tier name, according to @dwyanewade.” Wade carefully praised Pardon My Take but stayed silent on Barstool’s controversies because of the company’s past, as both the company itself and the founder, Dave Portnoy, have faced allegations of sexual misconduct. Apart from this, Barstool Sports also grabbed the media headlines for the infamous anti-Semitic incident.

As for his praise for the Pardon My Take podcast, that checks out. By 2025, the podcast has cemented its place as a fan favorite, topping charts on Spotify and Apple Podcasts while drawing in anywhere from 750,000 to 1.5 million listeners per episode. And it seems the growth left quite an impression on Wade, however, his own podcast has received some heat lately from one particular individual.

Dwyane Wade’s remarks on Jimmy Butler bring criticism for his podcast

Ever since Jimmy Butler’s surprising exit from the Miami Heat, things have been anything but quiet. After the Heat traded Butler on February 1, 2025, only to see him struggle through suspensions and a back injury in Minnesota, franchise icons have publicly questioned his commitment. Just recently, Udonis Haslem appeared on ESPN and didn’t hold back. He questioned Butler’s decision to attempt only seven shots in a must-win game, especially with Steph Curry watching from the sidelines.

Now, another Heat legend has stepped into the conversation. Dwyane Wade—arguably the face of the franchise—shared his take on Butler’s performance during a recent episode of his podcast. And let’s just say, it raised some eyebrows.

“I think the thing with Jimmy is, I didn’t like how he approached the game,” Wade said on the WY Network. “Like, I know Jimmy is a pass-first guy, I know he’s about getting his teammates the ball and letting them shine. But there’s a point where you’re getting $60 million—this ain’t working…” Butler, hampered by a nagging back issue and illness in the Timberwolves series, averaged 20.2 points on 30.6 % shooting in the 4–1 loss. But he has a defense: health problems can sap aggression. But Wade’s critique struck a chord

As expected, not everyone took Wade’s comments lightly. In fact, Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee, didn’t waste a second clapping back at Wade’s take.

“[Dwyane Wade’s podcast] can kick rocks haha,” Lee said. “Let’s be clear, the playoffs for him started on February 1. Took a team that was 11th got them to the 2nd round of the playoffs. 2. That finals team that’s just kind of off handedly mentioned here had 9 undrafted players on it.” With tensions flaring and public shots being fired, this Heat drama may still have plenty of fuel left in the tank. And it seems Dwyane Wade’s podcast is in the line of fire. Now, it’s to be seen if the Miami Heat icon responds to Lee’s comments. And will it be on his own show, or can we expect Wade’s appearance in one of the upcoming episodes of Pardon My Take, given his recent visit?