Dwyane Wade is sending another kid to college. After a shot at the NBA, a stint in the G League, and playing pro-ball overseas, D-Wade’s son, Zaire, is hitting refresh. While his sister, Zaya, is studying astrobiology in college, Zaire is heading back to college in the upcoming season. But he’s not just taking the academic route like his sister. Zaire’s taking a whole other shot at basketball.

Zaire, who’s reportedly not played professional basketball since 2023, is fielding D1 offers to play in the NCAA. Unlike the Flash, who was a shooting guard, the 6’3″ NBA scion played point guard in the G League and on previous teams. He’s often accompanied his dad and Udonis Haslem on the Way of Wade basketball clinics in Asia, and most recently played in the Miami Pro League.

Neither D-Wade, nor Gabrielle Union, nor Zaire’s mother Siohvaughn Funches has commented on this yet. However, between promoting his NBA on Prime gig, Wade attended his godson’s senior night game.

Dev Wright is the son of former Miami Heat forward Dorell Wright and a high school basketball player. Wade hyped him on Instagram Stories, writing, “Proud God Dad! Watching Devin grow as a young man and a hooper has been really cool!” But he’s been silent on Zaire’s recent decision.

That kid who was hanging off Pat Riley’s hip the day the Miami Heat signed their franchise cornerstone in 2003 is 23 now. But he has at least four years of eligibility to play in the NCAA. If he plans to make another shot at the NBA draft from there, who knows? But he’s apparently getting D1 offers already.

There’s a small catch that qualifies Zaire. He’s the third player with G League credentials today rallying for NCAA eligibility. The others are former Hornets player Amari Bailey and Spurs player Charles Bediako. Bailey’s and Wade’s time at Sierra Canyon overlapped, so the Internet thinks one of them influenced the other’s decision.

The NCAA president, Charlie Baker, said in December that no player who has signed an NBA contract would be eligible to play in the NCAA again. Both Bediako and Bailey have been on two-way NBA contracts, though they spent their short NBA careers in the G League. And Bediako is trying to contest the rule by legal means.

Zaire never had an NBA contract while in the G League, neither two-way nor otherwise. And seemingly, the overseas pro stints don’t count. Besides, unlike Bailey and Bediako, Wade’s eldest son has no NCAA background.

Zaire Wade is uniquely qualified for the NCAA

Unlike Shaquille O’Neal’s and LeBron James’ kids, Dwayne Wade’s kids didn’t carry the family legacy of basketball into college. Zaya, who played volleyball and basketball, is not a fan of sports and is focused on a very academic future. D-Wade is slowly integrating his youngest kids, Xavier and Kaavia, into basketball without pressuring them. But at one point, his eldest was the projected heir of the Wade legacy.

Zaire was born in Chicago and was a part of his dad’s entire NBA career from draft day through three championships, his 2019 retirement, and even the day the memefied Dwyane Wade statue was installed outside Kaseya Center. Despite growing up in Miami, Zaire played basketball at Mount Carmel High School in Chicago with Wade’s nephew/adopted son, Dahveon Morris.

He would later transfer to schools in Florida, Sierra Canyon in California (the same school LeBron James’ kids attended), and New Hampshire. Through most of it, he was regarded as a top prospect by college scouts. He received scholarship offers from DePaul, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and Toledo.

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But Zaire took a pass on college. He didn’t even take the one-and-done route or go undrafted. Instead, he entered the 2021 NBA G League draft. He was the Salt Lake City Stars’ (Utah Jazz’s G League affiliate) 10th overall pick. But he didn’t get any minutes due to injuries and was waived after a season-ending injury.

Zaire signed with the Cape Town Tigers of the Basketball Africa League in 2023, where he thrived as a high-volume scorer like his dad. In 2024, he signed with the Macau Black Bears of the Asian Tournament.

It’s not uncommon for any athlete to go back to college at whatever age. His ‘Unc’ Shaq is getting his fourth degree, a master’s in sports psychology, as we speak. Since he doesn’t have any NBA experience, Zaire qualifies for an athletic program too.

By returning to school, he can take advantage of NIL opportunities that often outpace G League salaries, all while refining his game in the NCAA. And maybe, if Bailey also successfully returns, the old teammates could reunite.