Dwyane Wade Speaks On WNBA As Scrutiny And Television Exposure Grows

Former Miami Heat guard is bullish on the WNBA and looks for league's exponential growth

Feb 22, 2020; Miami, Florida, USA; The jersey of Miami Heat former player Dwyane Wade is raised to the rafters as his number is retired during halftime of a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Heat at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports / Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Former Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade is a strong supporter of the WNBA.

On Saturday, he discussed how he has enjoyed the recent boost in popularity, mainly because of the emergences of Caitlin Clark and Angle Reese. But Wade warned that this come with a price.

During an episode of his "The Wine Down" podcast, he said more scrutiny comes with more attention.

"This league now is up there on a pedestal," Wade said. "It's a lot of darts coming at you...It's tough. A lot of them just wanna hoop and make good money and take care of their family. "

After being an afterthought for most of its existence, the league is now drawing major media attention and became a hot topic for fans. This is the most exposure the WNBA has ever received but they are in the spotlight for the positive and negative.

The league has been under fire all season for the players treatment of Clark, who some think are bullying her because of jealousy. There is also the notion of Clark being used as a political pawn because she is a white player in a black dominated sport. Sexual orientation has also been a talking point.

"It's a good thing because everybody is talking about the W[NBA]," Wade said. "It's a bad thing because you're getting a chance to be exposed and a little bit more, the people in the W to the world and how nasty it is."

Scott Salomon is a contributor to Inside the Heat and can be reached at scottsalomon67@gmail.com.