Dwyane Wade almost left the Miami Heat for another Eastern Conference team before forming the Big 3.
The Miami Heat hit the jackpot when they drafted Dwyane Wade using the fifth overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.
Although the class of 2003 was headlined by the likes of LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, D-Wade had a sensational two-year run in the NCAA.
It didn’t take long for Wade’s skills to translate into the NBA as he led the Heat to the 2006 NBA Championship as a 24-year-old superstar. It was the first step in Wade ultimately becoming a Heat legend, but even he contemplated leaving Miami at one point in his career.
During the summer of 2010, James and Chris Bosh joined forces with Wade as they formed a Big 3 on the Heat.
Although it ended up being the biggest move made during the summer, Wade recently took a trip down memory lane on the Pardon My Take podcast and explained the atmosphere around the league.
“We knew going into that summer that each team that was in position can get two star players, that everyone wanted two star players, and then the Heat came out of nowhere was like, hey, we can get three. And so I think it changed something for us,” Wade said.
The Basketball Hall of Famer claimed the trio were discussing playing together, but also listening to other offers.
“We all had a conversation about it, and, you know, we realized we would like to play together, but at the same time, but go off and do what you need to do, go have these interviews with these teams, and if something changes, let’s come back to the table.
“So it wasn’t 100 percent but it was a conversation that we had going into free agency,” the 3x NBA champion recalled.
When the Heat formed their Big 3, a young star was climbing the ladder to stardom. It was none other than Derrick Rose.
However, Wade had a different reason for considering a move to Chicago than just the prospect of sharing the court with someone as talented as D-Rose.
“Me when I came to Chicago, and I got a chance to go grab that Chicago Bulls jersey. I was back at home in the mirror and like ‘and now…’ I went back to that kid from Chicago,” Wade continued.
“So I think it was a moment where all of us were like, we probably wavered and thought ‘this looks good for me,’” he concluded.
Considering Wade is originally from Chicago, Illinois, it’s no surprise that he thought of joining the Bulls. Although Wade stayed in Miami in 2010, he did fulfill his dream of playing in Chicago during the 2016-17 season.
