Dwyane Wade is already making waves within the Utah Jazz organization shortly after being named as a minority owner of the franchise. This development came as a surprise for some considering how pretty much no one associated Wade with the Utah Jazz. This begs the question: why not the Miami Heat?
Apparently, this has been a query that Wade himself has had to face amid his venture with the Jazz franchise. The 39-year-old was more than willing to explain why he decided to join the Jazz:
“My basketball career and my business career are two different things,” Wase said, via Tyler R. Tynes of GQ. “We had a great relationship from a basketball standpoint. But for me, man, this was the best opportunity. Ryan [Smith, the new owner of the Jazz] and I have been friends for a while. Ryan is 42 years old and I’m 39. He’s in a business and space in tech that I want to one day get in and learn more about. And I know what I can bring to the table from a basketball standpoint and he sees my values. It just was the right fit. I live in LA, man. Utah is an hour and 15 minute flight right over the mountains. Everything was right for this phase in my life. For this part in my life [ownership with the Miami Heat] wasn’t the step I wanted to take.
Despite joining “the enemy” the Heat legend made it abundantly clear that his heart still belongs to Miami:
“One thing I did for Miami in my 14-and-a-half-year career is give them all I had,” Wade said. “They continue to embrace me and my family even though we are not living in that zip code. The love is always there for me, and I think it’s always gonna be there from the fans. We experienced something real together and it’s gonna last all of us a lifetime. I get it, man. But I’m not just one person to stay in one place. I’m a butterfly, man. And I gotta fly. I gotta move. I gotta go. So, this is just the next step in my journey. But, all love to Miami. All love.”
Wade is one of, if not the greatest player in Miami Heat history. He will forever be cherished as a treasure by the city, and there's probably nothing he can do to change that.
Having been a basketball player for virtually his entire life, being a part-owner of a basketball franchise is something that's entirely new for Wade. However, he brings so much to the table in terms of his vast knowledge of the game, and this is a valuable asset that the Jazz should be able to benefit from for years to come.
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