It's official. Dwyane Wade, the Chicago native, is officially an owner of the city's WNBA team, the Chicago Sky, per Alexa Philippou. Wade's decision to invest in the Sky was rumored for quite some time, with D-Wade himself teasing the move. Now, Wade takes a huge step in supporting Chicago's women's team as it goes through a critical juncture.

“BREAKING: NBA legend Dwyane Wade is officially joining the Chicago Sky ownership group, he tells ESPN, becoming the latest high-profile figure to invest in the league at a pivotal juncture in its 27-year history.”

In his statement to ESPN, Wade cited the reasons for his decision to join the Sky's ownership group. The Chicago native and Miami Heat legend simply said that this was his way of supporting the WNBA.

“We all talk about support, and support looks different for everyone,” Wade, who will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame next month, told ESPN. “And so instead of tweeting out and saying ‘go support the W,' instead of showing up at the game and supporting, I wanted to take it to that next level, and this was the next level for me.”

Dwyane Wade is the latest high-profile athlete to buy an ownership stake in the WNBA. Other notable athletes include former Lakers star Magic Johnson, former Patriots and Buccaneers QB Tom Brady, and former MLB star Alex Rodriguez. This is an encouraging time for the WNBA as it tries to expand further and further.

The Sky are in a rather bizarre time in their franchise history. After winning the WNBA title a few years ago, Chicago is going through a massive talent drain, with key players like Candace Parker and Courtney Vandersloot leaving the team. Now, Wade hopes to keep Finals MVP Kahleah Copper around as they go through this period in their franchise history.