Dwyane Wade almost left the Miami Heat for another Eastern Conference team before forming the Big Three.
The Miami Heat hit the jackpot when drafting Dwyane Wade using the fifth overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.
The class in 2003 was headlined by LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, while D-Wade ran a sensational two-year run at the NCAA.
It didn’t take long for Wade’s skills to be translated into the NBA as he led the heat to the 2006 NBA Championship as a 24-year-old superstar. It was Wade’s first step to becoming a Heat legend in the end, but even he thought of leaving Miami at some point in his career.
In the summer of 2010, James and Chris Bosch joined forces with Wade as the heat formed the Big Three.
It was the biggest move that took place over the summer, but Wade recently went down Memory Lane on my take podcast to explain the atmosphere around the league.
“We knew that when we got into that summer, each team in that position could get two stars and everyone wanted two stars, and that the heat came out from anywhere, and I think it changed something for us because we got three people,” Wade said.
The Basketball Hall of Fame claimed that not only were they discussing the trio’s playing together, they were listening to other offers.
“We all had a conversation about it, and we want to play together, but at the same time, do what you need to do and do these interviews with these teams. If anything changes, go back to the table.
“So it wasn’t 100%, but it was a conversation that we were entering a free agency,” recalls the 3x NBA champion.
Young stars were climbing the ladders to stardom as the fever formed their big threes. It was nothing more than Derrick Rose.
But Wade had another reason to consider moving to Chicago, rather than expecting to share the court with someone as talented as D-Rose.
“When I came to Chicago, I had the opportunity to grab that Chicago Bulls jersey, and I was back home in the mirror.
“So I think it was a moment when we were all like that. We probably shaking and thought, ‘This is good for me,'” he concluded.
Given that Wade was originally from Chicago, Illinois, it’s no surprise that he thought of joining the Bulls. Wade stayed in Miami in 2010, but he realized his dream of playing for Chicago during the 2016-17 season.