Collectibles On SI

Dwyane Wade's Most Expensive Sports Card Sale Isn’t Even A Card

Wade will now be immortalized in the sports world because he is one of the few athletes that now have a statue outside the stadium he called home.

Adam Palmer

Oct 28, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; A general view of the new Dwyane Wade statue in front of the Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
Oct 28, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; A general view of the new Dwyane Wade statue in front of the Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images / Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

Dwyane Wade is one of the most influential players to have played in South Beach, bringing the Miami Heat their first championship in 2006, followed by two more titles alongside LeBron James and Chris Bosh in 2012 and 2013. This past week, a statue of Wade outside the Miami arena was unveiled to some mixed reviews.

Nowadays, statues of iconic players often face scrutiny, and Wade’s is no exception. However, compared to other statues that sparked reactions—like the infamous Ronaldo statue—this one closely resembles Wade.

When LeBron and Chris Bosh joined Wade in Miami, it marked one of the first times three stars from the same draft class chose to play on the same team. The 2003 NBA Draft is considered one of the best in history, producing iconic players and some of the most valuable sports cards ever.

That draft year also featured the release of one of the most important sports card products: the 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Basketball. At the time, the $500 per pack price was considered steep. In hindsight, though, this investment proved to be a bargain. Wade, along with LeBron, Bosh, and third-overall pick Carmelo Anthony, all appear in this product.

This product revolutionized the industry by introducing one of the first rookie patch autograph cards, now a staple in today’s market. This product’s legacy is why Wade’s two most expensive sports card sales are sales of unopened boxes rather than individual cards.

In 2021, a BGS 9.5 graded version of one of his cards from this product sold for $223,860, which is his most expensive individual card of all time.

Dwayne Wade CardLadder Sales
Dwayne Wade CardLadder Sales / Image courtesy of CardLadder.com

Wade’s other valuable cards include the 2003 Fleer Tradition, which also features LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, selling for over $100,000. Rookie cards with multiple rookies have been in the sports card industry since the 60s but there is a good chance this will be the best one because of the the level of these three stars on the cards.

2003-04 Fleer Tradition - [Base] #300 - LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade
2003-04 Fleer Tradition - [Base] #300 - LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade / Images Courtesy of COMC.com

His 2003 Topps Chrome rookie has reached a similar price tag in high-grade conditions. With the two highest sales being $115,100 and $93,000.

2003-04 Topps Chrome - [Base] #115 - Dwyane Wade
2003-04 Topps Chrome - [Base] #115 - Dwyane Wade / Image courtesy of COMC.com

Wade is regarded as one of the most significant players of his generation, and the new statue outside the Miami Heat arena pays tribute to his enduring legacy.

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Adam Palmer
ADAM PALMER

Adam has been a sports content creator since 2016, initially focusing on creating sports-related graphics for his Instagram page. In 2018, he transitioned to writing and podcasting about sports cards. Since then, he has worked both independently and with companies within the industry, producing podcasts, videos, and written content on sports cards.

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