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Dwyane Wade doesn't want a sympathy vote during the last season of his highly-decorated career, or one for the sake of respect for his body of work in the NBA. In short, the Miami Heat legend believes an All-Star selection should be earned, not given as a sign of appreciation.
“If I'm choosing an All-Star, I'm not picking me,” said Wade after the Heat completed shootaround at Quicken Loans Arena prior toFriday night's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “It's not an indictment on anything, but guys that deserve to be All-Stars will be All-Stars.”
“For the first time, I actually agree with [TNT analyst] Charles Barkley and what he said (during a Thursday airing of Inside The NBA). It's a lot of guys that get their first chance to be All-Stars, and if they deserve it, then they deserve it and they should have those spots. I appreciate the love from my fans to even vote me, to have as many votes as they did. But from an All-Star standpoint, there’s multiple guys that deserve to be in there and I hope they get their opportunity.”
Wade narrowly missed the cut for an All-Star starter spot in terms of the fan voting, only a few behind eventual starter Kemba Walker of the Charlotte Hornets.
The three-time champion has played a role coming off the bench during his last season in the league, and while still productive, his numbers are nowhere near worthy of All-Star consideration.
Wade is understanding that All-Star bids now play a role in contract situations and missing out on an appearance could also make the difference of a few million more for a player in a contract year.
Already a 12-time fixture in the February weekend festivities and a one-time All-Star MVP (2010), Wade is content with all he's achieved and will not seek out another mention in this farewell season.
