Dwyane Wade Likens Pre-Injury Legacy Trajectory to Michael Jordan

The Miami Heat great dealt with numerous knee injuries throughout his career.

Jan 14, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Former Miami Heat player Dwayne Wade salutes the fans and cameras after a special ceremony during halftime of the game between the Miami Heat and the Charlotte Hornets at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports / Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Even years after his retirement, Dwyane Wade still places quite high on the list of the most exciting players to watch this century. The Marquette product was tremendous from his first day in the NBA and became one of basketball's preeminent slashers and defenders over the course of his time in the league. All-NBA caliber scorers and defenders are rare players and it helped that Wade's acrobatics around the basket were wonderfully entertaining to watch.

Unfortunately, his play style took its toll. Wade faded quickly in the back half of his career as knee injuries piled up. As a three-time NBA champ with a long list of accolades, it's not really a great sports "what-if" story to wonder how good Wade might've been if not for those injuries. But the man himself believes he was on a legendary trajectory before they struck.

Speaking on Carmelo Anthony's podcast, 7pm in Brooklyn, Wade said he felt like he was on a Michael Jordan-like career arc prior to his injuries.

"I did so many different things, I played so many different roles," Wade said while looking back on his playing career. "That's one of the reasons why I don't get— I'm not the greatest shooter of all time. I was great at so many different things. Then I learned how to be great at being a role player. I learned how to be great at all these things, and no one knows really how to break down my game. They look over and they just go to one or two things, but I did so many things in the game of baskeball.

"When I had it, I had it. Before injuries, I was like, 'MJ, I'm coming for you.'"

The full clip can be found below.

D Wade on why he’s overlooked in all time discussions

“I’m not the greatest shooter of all time, but I was great at so many things so nobody knows how to break down my game so they look over it”

“Before injuries I’m like MJ I’m coming for you”

(🎥 @7PMinBrooklyn) 🔥🐐 pic.twitter.com/cdJuWPSNHn

— Emo Jimmy (@WheelerJaylen) July 18, 2024

Unfortunately for us all, we never really got a chance to find out if that was really true. His third season, he averaged 27 points per game en route to his first NBA title and only Finals MVP. The year after is when he first started to deal with knee injuries and was diagnosed with patellar tendinitis. He played 51 games in 2006-07 and 2007-08. Then Wade enjoyed three consecutive relatively healthy seasons, ending with the first year of the Heatles, before he started to miss double-digit games regularly.

Before those injuries, Wade was an NBA champion who had proven capable of averaging nearly 30 points and two steals per game before his 25th birthday. If anything, that is undoubtedly greatness rarely seen and gives credence to Wade's belief.