Getting inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is a privilege that very few players can have. As of the class of 2023, only 441 individuals have been given this honor. They inducted five people into the Hall of Fame in 2023 and among them, the most awaited ones were Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade. But during Wade’s enshrinement speech, a few noticeable figures in the sport of basketball were missing.

LeBron James, his close friend and teammate, was absent since his son, Bronny is recovering from a medical emergency. A fellow media personality that everyone listens to was also not available during the enshrinement.

Where was Stephen A. Smith?

Recently, on ESPN’s First Take, Stephen A. Smith was talking about Dwyane Wade being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Smith said he “had personal matters to attend to, otherwise I would have been there.”

This was not something that the fans were expecting. Stephen A. continued his talk and said that what baffled him the most was not seeing LeBron James at the ceremony.

Stephen A. continued by saying how great Dwyane Wade is as a person on and off the court. He also mentioned that he belongs in the same realm as Kobe and MJ as some of the best shooting guards ever.

Stephen A. Smith also went ahead and blasted LeBron James for not being present while Wade was getting into the Hall of Fame.

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Dwyane Wade gave a heartfelt speech which left many people in the crowd with tears in their eyes. He then celebrated the moment by having his father on stage.

Dwyane Wade’s illustrious career had him guaranteed for the HoF

The two shared a special moment, and it felt like the culmination of a lifetime of hard work. For Dwyane Wade, it was never a question of if but when he would be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Wade has had one of the most successful careers as a professional basketball player. He has won 3 championships and is the 2006 Finals MVP. He played in the league for 16 seasons.

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Wade is a 13x All-Star and throughout his career, he averaged 22 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.4 assists. He was certainly one of the greatest shooting guards of all time and the Miami Heat have retired his jersey number 3, which further solidifies his legacy.