[TyroberParticipant]

The evolution of Dwyane Wade
Heat veteran deserves major credit for embracing second-fiddle role
Updated: March 1, 2013, 10:49 AM ET
By Chris Broussard | ESPN Insider
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Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE/Getty Images
Though no longer the main focus in Miami, Dwyane Wade has shined in a supporting role.
Imagine that you’re a hotshot lawyer, architect or engineer. You’re one of the best ever in your field. You get plenty of accolades, win plenty of awards and with you leading the way, your firm was named the best in the world one year.

You’ve got a good friend who’s in the same business. He’s excellent, even better than you in most people’s eyes. But you’re not sure; you’d certainly argue that you’re just as good as he is, and hey, he has never led his firm to the No. 1 ranking in the world.

One year, you and your pal, looking to become the best firm ever, decide to join forces, so he comes to work for your company. The company you made famous. The company you’ve been the king of your entire career. The company where your picture and plaques are on the lobby wall near the entrance. When newspapers and magazines write glowing articles about your firm, it’s you they quote. You’ve represented the firm on all of the television networks. And of course, you expect that to continue, especially when you and your buddy take the firm to even greater heights.

Within two years, you and your pal reach your goal, leading your firm to the world’s top spot. But your pal is getting all of the credit. He has outshined you with a performance for the ages. It’s no longer viewed as your firm; it’s his firm now. Sure, your picture is still on the main wall, but they’ve put an even bigger picture of him next to it. He’s being praised by all of the newspapers, magazines and networks. Your TV appearances dwindle as his skyrocket. Your partners rave about how he may be the best ever. You’re still great, but even you know that he’s better. Once Batman, you’re now Robin, the sidekick, the second banana.

How would you handle that?

That’s essentially what has happened to Dwyane Wade. And the way he has handled it has been just as impressive as the play of LeBron James.

Just as James’ play — particularly his incredible efficiency (he shot 64 percent in February) — is nearly unprecedented, so is Wade’s willingness to give up the spotlight. Some may argue that he has no choice. But even if he said all of the right things to the media and smiled in James’ face, he could undermine the whole situation with bad body language and squawking behind James’ back. He could subconsciously lose his enthusiasm for the game and wind up playing well below his potential.

Yet none of that has happened. Wade should get some love for that.

Think about it. Throughout NBA history, how many players have done — or have been willing to do — what Wade has? I mean, a guy in his prime. A guy who is a scorer at heart, not a pass-first player who naturally defers to scorers. A guy who is a dawg with a killer instinct.

Perhaps I’m wrong, but I can think of only one player who has come close to doing what Wade has: Earl “The Pearl” Monroe.

Monroe, a Hall of Famer and one of the top 50 players of all time, rose to fame over the first four years of his career by averaging nearly 24 points a game for the Baltimore Bullets. But early in the 1971-72 season, he was traded to a star-laden, championship-caliber New York Knicks team. Paired with superstar Walt Frazier in the backcourt, Monroe averaged only 11 points his first season with the Knicks and then averaged 15.5 points in helping the team win a championship in 1973.

But even that sacrifice wasn’t equal to Wade’s. Rather than give up his own club to a newcomer, Monroe went to a different team. Monroe’s situation was more like that of the Boston Celtics’ “Big Three” of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. While Frazier was clearly the Knicks’ best player at that point, other stars such as Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley and an aging Willis Reed also got to shine. It was a collection of stars sharing the spotlight rather than one superstar dominating the entire situation.

Greg M. Cooper/US Presswire
Unlike Paul Pierce, who shared the spotlight in Boston with Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, Wade has given up his leading role in Miami.
That’s how it was for Boston’s Big Three. It was more of a three-man show than a one-man show. Plus, none of the three had won a championship. The lone “lifetime Celtic,” Paul Pierce, shared the spotlight rather than give it up almost completely.

Tiny Archibald became a role player while winning a ring with the Larry Bird-led Celtics, but Tiny was past his prime by that point. Mark Aguirre, one of the league’s top scorers in Dallas, sacrificed his numbers en route to helping Detroit win two titles, but again, Aguirre was joining a new team. David Robinson moved aside in San Antonio as Tim Duncan emerged as the Spurs’ best player, but Robinson was never a dawg like Wade. Same with Scottie Pippen, who willingly gave the Bulls back to Michael Jordan when he returned from his first retirement (obviously, that situation was different from Wade’s for several other reasons). When Wilt Chamberlain gave up his scoring in 1972 to win a title with Jerry West and the Lakers, he was 35 years old and in his second-to-last season.

This is no slight, but I don’t see Kobe Bryant or Allen Iverson making the sacrifice Wade has. The more I look at it, I’m not sure any player has ever moved aside like Wade.

While I didn’t believe this a few months ago, I now see that Wade is probably still a top-five player in the league, certainly in the top eight. He is arguably still better than anyone not named LeBron or Kevin Durant.

Earlier in the season, I thought the 31-year-old Wade — injuries and untold number of crashes to the floor having sapped him — had lost at least half a step. I thought he was still elite, but not quite what he used to be. But after watching him average 24 points, 6 rebounds and more than 5 assists in February, and 25 points over his past 10 games — that’s not to mention his career-high 51.6 percent shooting for the entire season — I’m convinced that Wade is just as good as ever. If LeBron weren’t there, I’m sure Wade could put up the same type of numbers he always has.

But he has given up his individual numbers, MVP chances and ownership of the team for a chance to win more championships. You can’t help but give him props for that.

My guess is that this role will last two more seasons, after which both LeBron and Wade (and Chris Bosh) can opt out of their contracts. I believe the chances of LeBron opting out and returning to Cleveland in the summer of 2014 are good. I don’t think he’ll go to the Lakers, but that’s also a possibility. And of course he may stay in Miami.

But I think LeBron, after winning at least one more ring in Miami (and perhaps two), will want to return to Ohio and make things right at home. And while I think LeBron and Wade will remain great friends, I think Wade will welcome a return to top-dawg status. Granted, he’ll be 33 going on 34 at the start of the 2014-15 season, but with today’s improved training, treatment methods and nutrition, Wade should still have some elite years left in him.

In the meantime, he’ll settle for playing in the Finals and perhaps winning championships while his terrific play gets overshadowed by LeBron’s greatness. It’s obviously a trade-off he’s willing to make. Kudos to him for that.

[GronounoursParticipant]

I always wonder why Nbadraft allows these “insider” articles. I don’t have a problem with them of course (although ESPN journalists write for the sake of it), but I guess ESPN could prosecute this website if they wanted to.

[phila9012Participant]

I wonder how that would work, it is kind of stealing because people are showing them for free, when people have to pay for access to be able to read them otherwise. I am glad people do it, but there could be legal issues with it, probably small but you never know.

[GronounoursParticipant]

I don’t know why I’m negged. I’m not criticizing, I’m just asking.

[theprophetParticipant]

i don’t know why either. good thing points don’t matter, but probably the same reason i get negged for saying i think an article is interesting and asking opinions about the situation. there could be a legal issue here. i am glad users post insiders. information should be free and available. especially in the information era of social media and the loss of privacy in the world today.

[XYRYXParticipant]

I have to give probs to Wade for that for shure. I thought too that he isn’t the same player anymore with all this small injuries.

I’m not a hater but maybe was never the alpha male we think he is/was or could be. He had Shaq with his championship run and now LeBron. And if we are talking about sacrifices we should throw in Bosh too. I think we all agree that there is and never was a discussion of how the three should be ranked in this team.

I think the author of this article is right that Kobe would do this for someone else but maybe Kobe has more will to be the best on his team let alone the best in the league. Maybe it’s smart from Wade to give up the team to Bron but what about this team when Wade is playing even better and leading this team. I don’t have no problem with both Kobe and Wade going both their own paths and honestly I don’t think Kobe has any friends in the league he could team up with but maybe Wade is just happier while not the one is blamed when everything is not clicking not to mention it is A LOT easier to put up those numbers when Mr. James is playing his prime basketball and creates so much room for you to score.

[WetalkinboutpracticeParticipant]

Kobe is good friends with Carmelo Anthony (prob’ his only friend of the other “elite” players). When Melo was angling out of Denver the Lakers made a pitch for Melo and Kobe did cosign. But Melo always had NY in his sights.

[2ballislife3Participant]

2006 nba finals stats:…..34.7ppg…3.8 apg…7.8 rpg..2.67 spg…1.0bpg…finals mvp sounds alittle more “ALPHA dog-ish” then 13.7ppg…10.2rpg….2.8apg..0.5spg…0.83bpg….(shaqs numbers)

[aamir543Participant]

Wade is still an elite player, over his past 19 games he’s averaging 24, 5.7, and 5.6 with 2.4 steals and 1.2 blocks per game, that is vintage D-Wade and just watching him you can see he has much more bounce in his step than he did at the beginning of the season.

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