- [Narrator] It's February 27th, 2019.
We're in Miami, Florida for a matchup
between the subpar Miami Heat
and the dominant Golden State Warriors.
Whatever happens next
won't have any major implications for either team,
but this moment represents something much bigger.
It belongs to this Miami legend.
This could be Dwayne Wade's final opportunity
to send the home crowd at American Airlines Arena
into a last second frenzy.
But before we play the final music on Wade's last dance,
we gotta rewind.
(soft music)
With the game on the line, there's no surprise
Miami put the ball in the hands of their trusted veteran.
I mean, he's essentially built this franchise.
(film rewinding)
For the organization's first 15 years
Miami searched for a star they could call their own.
Despite their success in the late 90s
behind stars Tim Hardaway and Alonzo Mourning
Miami rapidly slid into mediocrity.
In the 2003 draft,
Miami eyed their next franchise centerpiece,
and god damn was there a lot of fabric to choose from.
After an awful 25-win season they were positioned
to take a top player in the draft stacked with talent.
In a class highlighted by high school phenom LeBron James
and NCAA champion Carmelo Anthony,
with the fifth overall pick
the chances of Miami landing either of those guys were slim.
One prospect that quickly climbed the ranks
was shooting guard, Dwyane Wade.
Despite coming from a small college,
the young guard from Chicago shined on a national level,
leading Marquette to the final four in a Cinderella run
that included a mighty upset over Kentucky.
Wade's tremendous play plus his high character
caught the attention of then head coach, Pat Riley,
and Miami snagged him with the fifth pick.
Although the Heat started off slow in his rookie season,
Wade swiftly developed into a productive player
and helped Miami make the post-season.
While LeBron and Melo got the most attention
entering the draft,
by the time the 04 playoffs rolled around
Wade was the rookie on everyone's mind.
During his first ever playoff game
Wade capped off a 21-point performance
by drilling a late game winner against the Hornets
proving he was already made for clutch moments.
For Wade, nailing that shot
wasn't anything unexpected for him.
The young kid exuded the confidence of an NBA veteran.
By his third year, Miami stared down a championship.
While Wade emerged as a star and the leader of the team
he now had some more firepower by his side
when the Heat landed three-time NBA champion,
Shaquille O'Neal in 2004.
During the 2005-06 season
Wade continued to light up opponents,
having a knack for getting to the basket
by blowing past defenders with ease.
His change of pace terrified defenses so much
that Shaq dubbed him the Flash.
Not only did Shaq toss around sick nicknames
but he anointed Wade as the dude
that would lead Miami to a title.
And he was right.
Although the Heat found themselves down two games
to the Dallas Mavericks in the 06 finals,
Wade single-handedly brought Miami back.
He put up ridiculous stat lines,
rolling off four straight wins
to give the Heat its first ever NBA championship.
Now with a showing like that,
there was nothing else left to do,
but crown Wade as the final's MVP.
Over the next few years Wade often got sidelined by injuries
but when healthy and on the court, the dude was a bucket.
During the 2008-09 season, Wade lit up teams in route
to securing his first ever scoring title.
Not only did he score at an efficient rate
but Wade had a penchant for closing out games
in spectacular fashion.
In 09, Wade dropped a 48 point double double
and ended the Chicago Bulls
after draining a clutch buzzer beater in double overtime.
Following the win, Wade famously stood on the scorers table
in Miami proclaiming that the arena was his house.
The next season, Wade added another late game winner
to his resume with a smooth three pointer at home
over the New Jersey Nets.
Once again, Wade reminded everyone
at American Airlines Arena that he owned the building.
Although Wade continued to ball out every year
from 2007 to 2010, the Heat never escaped
the first round of the playoffs.
After Shaq's departure in 2008
Miami's longtime star needed some help
if they wanted to compete for championships again.
As Wade was set to enter free agency in 2010
the organization rolled out the red carpet.
Firstly, Miami showed Wade
just how much he meant to the city
when the Miami-Dade County Commission
renamed the area Miami-Wade County.
While it was a nice gesture
Wade's future in Miami was still uncertain
until he heard just three words
from another free agent superstar, Chris Bosh.
While Wade and Bosh announced their intentions
to sign with Miami, the next day the final domino fell.
LeBron James joined them in South Beach.
Wade was just as instrumental
in recruiting Bosh and James to Miami as Pat Riley
who had stepped into an executive role years prior.
As the only championship winner out of the three,
Wade had the experience and led the charge
for the superstars to join his team.
Although the Heat didn't fulfill LeBron's promise
of winning not five, not six, not seven championships,
the newly formed trio went on to dominate the league
winning back to back titles
with four straight finals appearances.
Despite Wade battling through injuries
causing him to miss several games during the big three era
he was still pivotal in capturing
two more championships for the Heat
including top notch performances in the post-season.
Although D. Wade had to take on more of a sidekick role
for the first time in his career,
after the big three split entering the 2014-15 season
the team belonged to Wade again
but the results weren't the same.
As the vet started to age
Wade opted out of his contract before the 2016 season
in an effort to secure a long term contract.
Riley didn't agree with Wade's vision
and through some contentious negotiations
they eventually agreed to a one-year deal,
except Wade wasn't the same player anymore.
Wade still had confidence in his abilities
but had clearly lost a step
and started embracing his new nickname as Father Prime.
At the end of the 2015-16 season
Miami went through a tremendous change.
Wade sought a long-term contract once more
but after some tough negotiations
Riley offered Wade two contracts
that he felt were both unacceptable.
In 13 seasons spent with the Heat
Wade had 12 All-Star appearances,
made several All-NBA selections, won three championships,
and earned a finals MVP when he brought the organization
their first ever title.
But after all that,
Wade signed a new deal with his hometown Bulls.
Wade pinned a heartfelt message to Miami and his fans
but his longtime relationship with Riley which spanned
several years and multiple championships ended poorly.
Imagining Wade donning anything other than a Heat Jersey
shocked the entire NBA.
But hold up, here he is again
just three years removed from his exit.
Although this uniform is a clean new Miami Vice color away
with a beautiful splash of pink,
it's nuts to see Wade on this court
in this position with the game on the line.
Before I get into how Wade got here, though,
let's take a look around the court,
because at this moment in Wade's career
he's on the opposite side of taking down
a new behemoth controlling the NBA.
(film rewinding)
Like the Heat, the Warriors hadn't had
any major recent success until this decade.
When they captured their first title in 40 years
during the 2015 finals, the franchise had built the team
that showed the signs of a dynasty.
Like Miami finding their diamond in the rough with D. Wade,
Golden State found theirs when they selected Stephen Curry
seventh overall in 2009.
Both dudes weren't the top names of their respective drafts
and came into the league
with the hype of previously dominating
the NCAA tourney from a smaller college.
And like Wade, once Steph got it going in the NBA,
he put the entire league on notice.
While Wade won his first three titles
with the aid of another superstar talent,
Steph and the Warriors won their first championship
with the team consisting of players drafted over the years
that magnificently complimented each other.
But coming into this 2018-19 season
Steph and the Warriors are looking to three-peat
because now Steph has his very own mercenary
acquired from free agency he can rely on as well.
It only happened because they blew a three-one lead
to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 finals
after breaking the regular season record for the most wins.
But hey, it is what it is.
So as the Warriors step into this matchup
against a mediocre Miami team
things were expected to get ugly for the Heat,
except Golden State had to claw their way back
into having this late game lead.
For a majority of this game the Heat had the Warriors shook
and at one point Miami had a commanding 24 point lead.
But when you've got three of the best shooters in the league
on the same roster, you're never really out of it.
When the Warriors found themselves down 24,
just listen to how the announcer described Klay's game
as he pulled off a tough bank shot.
- [Announcer] And he could make any kinda shot imaginable.
- [Narrator] Coming out of the half down 15,
Steph led the way with a 10 point third quarter
to cut Miami's lead to eight, sliding into the fourth.
Then came time for the Klay and K.D. show.
After slowly chipping away at their lead,
Clay hit seven straight points including a giant three
right in the face of Bam Adebayo
to give the Warriors their first lead of the game
since early in the first quarter.
Next up, Durant.
He came up huge in the clutch after drilling a three
plus the foul, to extend the Warriors' lead to four.
After Miami hit a late three of their own,
they were forced to foul the Warriors
sending K.D. to the line
with an opportunity to make it a three point game.
Instead, Durant went one for two
leaving the door open for Miami.
But when the deadly trio combined for 89
of the Warriors' total 125 points,
it's hard to ask for more.
That brings us back to D. Wade.
While Golden State built their dynasty,
the guy who has the chance to be the savior tonight
had a bit of a fall from grace.
(film rewinding)
D. Wade's chances of a storybook return home to Chicago
didn't have much of a chance.
The Bulls were nothing more than an average team
when Wade was paired with a new budding star Jimmy Butler.
Fighting through a fractured elbow
D. Wade struggled in his first year,
hosting the lowest points per game since his rookie season,
failing to make the all star game
for the first time in 13 years.
After just one season in Chi-Town D. Wade's homecoming ended
when the team agreed to buy out his contract.
Wade hoped to recapture some of the past magic with LeBron
signing a one-year deal with the Cavs,
but he was swiftly humbled.
Following an abysmal three game start,
Wade volunteered to come off the bench.
As the sixth man, Wade put up his worst stats of his career.
And at the 2018 trade deadline
he surprisingly got sent back to Miami.
The relationship between Wade and Riley
had soured when he left,
but the two had to put their differences aside
a month before the trade
at the funeral of Wade's long time agent.
Wade said they didn't even need to get into any details
but a simple hug was all they needed
to feel better about everything.
When Wade returned in his first game back
the fans clearly still had immense love for him
and gave D-Wade a standing ovation.
In Miami, Wade looked much more comfortable
in his bench role, and reached a historic milestone,
joining a legendary list of players
who were all-time greats for their respective teams.
In the 2018 off season, Wade announced his intention
to retire at the end of this season.
The end of a historic era in Miami approached,
but before the final curtain closed
Wade still had some unfinished business.
He turned back the clock a few times this season
including a gigantic 35 point performance
against the Toronto Raptors,
the most ever by a Miami bench player.
In his milestone 1000th game Wade dropped 25 points.
Wade even had an opportunity
to be the hero for Miami on the road
against Golden State earlier this year.
In this matchup, the Warriors once again
had to fight their way back after being down 19
to hold on to a late lead.
Down by one with under a minute to play,
Wade came up with a massive block against K.D.,
and scored a basket on the other end to give Miami a lead.
In the end though, Golden State sealed the game
on a pair of free throws
and Miami missed their final shot to win it at the buzzer.
But back in Miami with a chance to topple the NBA's best,
Wade put on a vintage performance
mixed with some new tricks.
Although Wade had never been much
of a three point shooter in his career,
he shot lights out beyond the arch tonight.
His first bucket of the game
was a breakaway dunk off a steal
where he didn't throw it down like he used to,
but it's two points nonetheless.
His very next basket was a pull up three
off a clean behind the back dribble.
In the second quarter, how about a corner three?
Wet.
Step back three over Durant.
- [Announcer] Step back.
- [Narrator] Come on, Wade.
Wade went into the fourth quarter with 15 points
off the bench shooting three for five from deep.
In the fourth quarter though, Wade really got busy.
His first basket of the quarter was a dribble drive,
slicing past multiple defenders
and finishing with a filthy layup.
Hold up did we just see a Flash sighting?
Maybe we can call that man Father Flash.
(chuckles) I'm sorry.
Anyways, when Miami found themselves behind
with a little under two minutes to play,
Wade got to his spot and nailed a bank shot to tie the game.
This man was playing like it was 2006 again.
But if you really want to talk about being clutch
how about this big time three from Wade
to keep Miami within one point.
After Durant split his free throws, it brings us here.
As D-Wade brings the ball up the court
he carries the history of the Miami Heat franchise with him.
A history that was once muddied.
But now he's back where he belongs,
in the place where his jersey
will undoubtedly hang in the rafters
as the greatest Heat player ever.
We've seen him end games before in this arena
but it's been nearly a decade
since he's nailed a buzzer beater game winning shot
and sent the home crowd into madness.
Wade has put on a classic performance tonight,
but let's see if he can add one more glorious moment
in what will go down on as a legendary career.
Welcome to a moment in history.
- [Announcer] 12.
Wade against Iguodala.
Five seconds left.
Waiters back to Dwyane.
Shoots, no he couldn't get it off.
(alarm buzzing) Now fires it up.
Banking in.
It counts! It counts!
The Heat win the game. (crowd cheering)
Dwayne Wade won it for Miami.
126 to 125.
It just happened.
(film softly shutters)
(soft music)
- [Narrator] Yow, I really appreciate you guys
checking out this rewinder.
If you enjoyed this content
we got plenty of more heat like this,
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'cause we gon' keep on giving it to you.
(upbeat music)