Former Teammate Rips Miami Heat Legend’s Leadership Skills

Jake Elman | Nov 30, 2024

Dec 29, 2012; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. The Bucks won 104-85. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade was many things during his Hall of Fame career. All-Star. Prolific scorer. Champion. 

Longtime NBA guard Michael Carter-Williams isn’t inclined to include the word “leader” on Wade’s extensive resume. 

Carter-Williams and Wade played together for the Chicago Bulls during the 2016-17 season. The Bulls hoped a Big Three of Wade, Jimmy Butler, and Rajon Rondo could make some noise in the Eastern Conference. 

Things didn’t go to plan. Chicago barely snuck into the playoffs as the eighth seed, and Wade missed time with a fractured elbow. Wade and the Bulls agreed on a buyout ahead of the 2017-18 season. 

Carter-Williams reflected on his lone season playing alongside Wade during a recent appearance on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back show. MCW said he believes Wade didn’t know his role and found himself in a “tough position.”

“There was times where he would be a leader and speak on his past experiences and try to put us on game to certain things and try to lead the best way he could,” Carter-Williams said. “And then there was times where maybe we thought he could’ve been a better leader.”

The Bulls fined Butler and Wade for criticizing their teammates’ effort in January 2017. Rondo ripped the two veterans in an Instagram post and was also fined. 

“I think that havin’ Jimmy [Butler] and havin’ [Rajon] Rondo, I just, again, I just think [Wade] was tryna figure it out,” Carter-Williams said. “At times, I could see why people would say that, like, ‘He’s not bought in.’ He was injured a lot of the times. I think us as players needed to realize, like, ‘He is older.’”

ESPN reported in August 2017 that the Bulls’ younger players “really can’t stand” Wade. 

Wade ended his career with the Heat in 2019. Miami retired his No. 3 a year later, and he received a statue earlier this year. 

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Jake Elman works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat on SI. He can be reached at jakeelman97@gmail.com or follow him on X @JakeElman97.