The Kings were without Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and Jake LaRavia for their matchup against the Cavaliers. With key players missing, the Kings needed someone to step up. And rookie Devin Carter seized the opportunity, joining in for a hard-fought 123-119 victory at Golden 1 Center. And it seems he had a little support from Dwyane Wade too. How?

For the matchup, the rookie was undeniably dominant. And he was spotted wearing Li Ning’s Way of Wade sneakers, a special line of shoes from the Chinese brand made in collaboration with NBA legend Dwyane Wade. This didn’t go unnoticed! The Miami Heat legend praised the Kings rookie, giving him a shoutout. 

Wade shared a clip of Carter’s impressive dunk on his Instagram story, commenting, “Those Way of Wade on his feet” and “@devine you sick for this!” Wade has had deals with Converse and Jordan Brand before finally inking a deal with Li Ning. He has a lifetime deal with the brand which has a market cap of $5 billion (as per Company Marketcap). In 2012, he released his signature shoe line, Way of Wade. Just last year, the Heat legend dropped the Li-Ning Way of Wade 11. Carter has flaunted these sneakers before too. 

However, for the game against the Cavaliers, he wore the Li-Ning Wade All-City 13, as per Kix Stats. Carter also rocked a purple Way of Wade AC13 PE back in February.

He had an electrifying performance off the bench, scoring a career-high 16 points shooting 6-of-11 from the field along with contributing five rebounds and three assists. He even sealed the victory with a swagger dunk, sending fans and teammates into an eruption of cheers.

Devin Carter gets lauded for his impressive performance 

The Cavaliers were also without Darius Garland. However, the team didn’t make it easy for the Sacramento Kings. It was in the second half when the rookie lit the game. He had to miss most of the games in his rookie year nursing the shoulder injury he sustained during a pre-draft workout. 

So, when the coach handed him an opportunity at the end of the game, it was his time to show his skills. Carter hit 14 of his points in the second half, sparking Dwyane Wade’s appreiation. His defense was good too. “I think that Devin brings the physicality, swagger, and confidence that I expect out of my team. There is a calmness and competition in him. My grandma used to say: ‘Still waters run deep.’ He brought it big time,” Kings interim coach Doug Christie said as he praised the rookie.

The Kings saw a 76-63 lead in the last two quarters and Carter was crucial in the process. DeMar DeRozan contributed 27 points of which 18 came in the second half while Malik Monk added 22 points to lead the team. Carter’s teammates also had words of praise for him. The rookie will have more chances to prove himself!