The passing of player agent Henry “Hank” Thomas back in January sent shockwaves of grief through the NBA community. Thomas was both an agent and a role model to many NBA players, including several players in the Miami Heat organization — most especially Dwyane Wade.
He was extremely close to Wade, who considered him a friend and father figure. When news of Thomas' passing broke, Wade took some time off to have some moments with himself and collect his thoughts.
The three-time NBA champion later posted a photo of him and Thomas together on Instagram, with a touching tribute to his friend.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bed2f1QAzN3/?utm_source=ig_embed
It's clear that Wade had a special relationship with Thomas and his abrupt passing is especially devastating to the Heat guard.
Wade spoke further on Thomas' passing in a video where he announced his return to the Heat for one final season, and it's heartbreaking to see him hold back tears as he reflects on what Thomas meant to him.
Wade explained the pair's relationship, saying;
“When I lost Hank, I lost a part of me. I lost a part of the joy in the game of basketball. From a kid, we always play to make people proud. You want your Mom proud. You want your Dad proud. At one point, I wanted my older brother proud.
“When Hank came into my life, I wanted Hank to be proud of me. Part of it is this journey. With him not being there last year, I lost something from this game. And me getting traded back to Miami, it helped. … This decision is bigger than the game of basketball.”
Wade can be sure that Thomas is proud of him for his accomplishments and how much he has grown as a player.
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