Twenty Years Ago, Dwayne Wade Was Selected No. 5 By Miami Heat In Historic 2003 NBA Draft
Today marks the 20th anniversary of the historic 2003 NBA Draft when the Miami Heat selected Dwayne Wade with the No. 5 pick.
The organization has won three championships with Wade, who is often regarded as the greatest player in Heat history. Wade is the all-time leader for the Heat in points, assists, steals and games played.
His first championship was in the 2005-2006 season, where he won Finals MVP playing alongside Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal. Wade’s other championships were during the Big Three era in Miami in 2012 and 2013.
During his career, Wade was a 13-time All-Star and an eight-time All-NBA team selection. He averaged 22 points, 5.4 assists, and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 48 percent from the field. In 2021, Wade was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, honoring him as one of the best 75 players of all-time. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2023, during his first year of eligibility.
The 2003 draft included plenty of talent besides Wade, including Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Bosh.
James was drafted No. 1 by the Cleveland Cavaliers and is the all-time leading scorer and a four-time NBA champion. Anthony was drafted with the No. 3 pick by the Denver Nuggets and retired in 2023, ending his career ninth all-time in points scored. Bosh was selected No. 4 overall by the Toronto Raptors and would team up with James and Wade to form the Big Three in Miami, where he won two championships.
Anthony Pasciolla is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He can be reached at anthonypasciolla36@gmail.com
