Dwyane Wade credits Michael Jordan for inspiring him

Growing up in Chicago, Dwyane Wade studied Michael Jordan's moves.

© Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Dwyane Wade spent the better part of his speech during his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame expressing gratitude to the people and players who impacted his life and basketball career. It was only right that he thanked Michael Jordan, the Chicago Bulls icon who served as Wade's inspiration when he was just a high school kid who dreamed of reaching the NBA.

Film study

Coming from Chicago, Wade found an NBA role model right at his doorstep. The Bulls and the NBA were ruled by Jordan, prompting Wade to diligently examine His Airness' game footage before and after his own basketball battles. Wade sought both hoop knowledge and inspiration from MJ, enriching his own journey in the sport.

"Before and after my games," Wade said during his speech. "I studied the player who had replaced my Pops as my favorite: Michael Jordan. He captured my imagination and fueled my aspirations all at the same time."

Wade mentioned the worn out state of his VHS copy titled "Come Fly with Me" by Jordan. He had watched it countless times, subsequently venturing to his backyard to emulate the extraordinary feats he witnessed.

Spectacular move

One play in particular stuck with Wade up to this very day. It was Game 2 of the 1991 NBA Finals, and Jordan and the Bulls were battling Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. After climbing and falling short so many times during earlier seasons, Jordan finally scaled the mountain and declared it his own with one spectacular move: his now iconic switch-hands layup that left everyone, including Magic Johnson, stunned.

"The way he soared through the air felt like forever," Wade shared. "He created moves that made me immediately rush to my backyard to recreate them."