Former NBA coach Stan Van Gundy declared Dwyane Wade the best last shot player in a recent interview with Quentin Richardson, and talked about Wade hitting game-winner in his first playoff game.
“I always said, and I would argue this with anybody, I know people will have other guys,” Stan. Van Gundy said. “He's the best end of the game, last shot guy I've ever seen and I know I'm biased. But here's the thing with D Wade too. Not only did he shoot a high percentage in those situations, like if it's tie game, he's getting the last shot and you ain't getting one back. He's not shooting it too early.”
“He’s the best end of the game, last shot guy I’ve ever seen.”
Stan Van Gundy holds Dwyane Wade high in his clutch list 💯
(via @QRich)pic.twitter.com/SwKvfn89OM
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) March 22, 2023
Van Gundy then talked about Dwyane Wade's game-winning shot against the New Orleans Hornets in his playoff debut in 2004. Wade shot a floater over Baron Davis for the win with 1.3 seconds left. Van Gundy had no doubt about who he was giving the ball to in that situation.
“He was a rookie in his first playoff game, I think he left them three tenths of a second the other way and dropped it in,” Van Gundy said. “And after the game he was like, ‘damn man,' he said to me something about putting the ball in a rookie's hand in that situation. I said, ‘I never thought about putting the ball in the hands of a rookie' I said, ‘put the ball in the hands of your best player' that's all it was.”
The Heat ended up beating the Baron Davis' Hornets in seven games.
It was the start of a legendary career for Wade, one that leaves an impression on Van Gundy to this day.
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