Dwyane Wade has seen this happen in 2010. Yet even he’s not surprised at LeBron James’ unpredictability. While on Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston’s live show during WNBA All-Star Weekend, he weighed in on his long-time friend and former teammate’s blockbuster free-agency decision to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers over heavy suitors like the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers. D-Wade, who personally chose a homecoming for his retirement, admitted that James’ move to Philadelphia completely caught the basketball world off guard.

“Oh yeah, I just found that out,” He told the WNBA stars about LeBron James’ decision. “LeBron is never going to do what you think he’s going to do.”

“I don’t think any one of us had Philly being the No. 1 team. But it’s right on brand. For me, I look at that as bigger than… yes, they can compete for championship rosters right now. And yeah, you get the chance to go ahead and get to that maybe five, six championships. But outside that, I look at it as an after-basketball move as well. I feel like it’s bigger than just two years.”

When Parker referred to James’ new veteran minimum contract as an absolute bargain, Wade poked fun at his own career twilight in comparison.

“I don’t think he needs the bread,” Wade joked. “Listen, when I got my last year, I was thankful. I wasn’t that good no more. Appreciate y’all for this. He’s still averaging 25, 6, and something… hey, listen, appreciate y’all for that two million. I wasn’t good no more.”

The Flash returned to Miami for a farewell tour on a $2.4 million contract after stints in Chicago and Cleveland. While it was an emotional return before his 2019 retirement, it wasn’t nearly as hyped as the one King James created this offseason.

James officially ended weeks of rampant speculation by signing a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option to join the 76ers for his record-setting 24th NBA season.

The decision sees the 41-year-old superstar take an unprecedented pay cut from his previous $53 million Lakers salary to team up alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and newly acquired Jaylen Brown.

The move mirrors past free-agency surprises from James, which Dwyane Wade knows all too well. When Parker asked Wade if he was kept in the loop before James’ famous 2010 Decision to join the Miami Heat, D-Wade revealed that even close friends are often left in the dark when James makes career-altering choices.

“I said it before. We obviously talked about it,” Wade revealed regarding the 2014 Heat departure. “We had like a handshake, like, ‘Yo, okay, we’re gonna do this.’ But then a couple of weeks passed, and I didn’t hear from him. I didn’t know, maybe he changed his mind. He didn’t answer my text messages. So I was watching it like everybody else.”

Ultimately, Wade believes his old friend’s choice to join Philadelphia is a calculated gamble for another ring and long-term legacy over financial compensation. By aligning with a stacked 76ers core, James has once again reshaped the Eastern Conference landscape on his own terms 16 years later.