In the 2021-22 season the Miami Heat have quietly dominated the Eastern Conference since the onset. Amidst injuries to their multiple stars, Miami has seen contributions from guys like Max Strus, Caleb Martin, and even Omer Yurtseven. Never heard of them? It’s ok, Houston Rockets fan. Prior to this season, most of the NBA hadn’t either. But based on a culture built more than a decade and a half ago, Miami has operated under a “next man up” philosophy. While the Houston Rockets could learn from the franchise that has made six NBA Finals with three dramatically different cores since 2006, that wasn’t the biggest news following their 119-103 win over former Rocket James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade (who is also a partial owner of the Utah Jazz) sat courtside to watch his old franchise cruise to a win. Heat vets, many of whom were young stars when Wade last suited up, dapped him up pre and post-game. Wade was not a part of the game or the win, but he also was a part of the game and the win. The energy was palpable, and from the opening tip to the end of Pepas, Miami was rolling. Again, the type of energy the Houston Rockets could learn from.
But Houston…
But the story of the night for the Houston Rockets actually came to light the next day. Jalen Green, Houston’s young star and face of the franchise’s future, was also at the game in Miami, apparently to see and hang out with Wade.
Green and Breah Hicks, his girlfriend, were in the back tunnels of the American Airlines Center per her Instagram story. Green’s story was also about himself in a stadium, though it was unclear where showing off his grill. Early in the morning, Green reposted a story from Lisa Joseph Metelus, who works for CAA. Metelus represents a handful of the Heat and represented Wade as a player. The story showed Green, Wade, Metelus, and Gabrielle Union celebrating in a nightclub. Jalen threw up the H, flashed his grill, and danced alongside Dwyane Wade.
Wade and Green appeared to be sitting together and talking. It’s possible they were chatting about this weekend’s F1 race in Miami. Perhaps they were sharing ideas for where to grab brunch on Friday. But on the whole? It appeared that, as it has a few times, Green is looking to Wade for mentorship. And that’s exactly what Houston fans should want to see.
The Perfect Mentor
It’s hard to think of a better mentor for a young guard than Dwyane Wade. Wade, like Green, was one of the top picks in his draft class. Both averaged roughly the same amount of points per game, they both did it by attacking the basket. While Wade was older and stronger as a rookie, both relied on unique explosive athleticism to puncture defenses. Jalen was better from 3-pt land than Dwyane was in any single season, but Dwyane was also given the ball more (using usage% as an indicator).
On the floor, Wade saw the game with similar tools to Green and was a multiple-time champion, was top eight in MVP voting five times, and recently was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary team.
Off the floor? He may be an even better mentor. Wade grew up with as difficult of a background as any NBA player but managed to evade trouble at every turn. He has always attributed his strong moral compass in his childhood to his older sister, but it clearly continued to carry him throughout his adult life. Wade was granted custody of his two children following a divorce from his high school sweetheart, and also has custody of his nephew.
He runs a large charity, The Wade’s World Foundation, which helps provide support and services for at-risk youth in both Chicago and South Florida. He’s purchased homes for families in greater Miami, handed jerseys he broke records into children with disabilities. During his career, he directly sent the church his mother attended in Chicago 10% of his paycheck each paycheck. Most recently, Wade and his wife Gabrielle have become vocal advocates for rights for transgender youth and created a company of baby care products specifically designed for melanated skin tones.
Wade is a Hall of Fame version of Jalen Green’s archetype on the floor, and a better role model off of it. It’s hard to imagine a better person for Green to be palling around with, and Houston Rockets fans should be ecstatic.
The Lone Problem
Unfortunately, there is a pessimist’s version of this story. Metelus represents many young stars in the NBA, including Zion Williamson, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Jordan Poole. She does not represent Green at the moment.
Wade was also at the center of the creation of the modern NBA player empowerment movement. He, with his friends LeBron James and Chris Bosh, completely flipped how teams are constructed. The trio conspired to head to Miami and create one of the league’s few historic Super-Villains. Together they won two championships and appeared in two other NBA Finals.
It would be great if Green brought a pair of Hall of Fame-bound guys from his own draft class to Houston in a few years. But, could this slide in the wrong direction?
Part of what Wade promoted about Miami, and why The Heatles met up there, was the culture of the organization. It wasn’t the Phil Jackson and the New York Knicks. It wasn’t Dan Gilbert and Cleveland. The answer was Pat Riley and South Beach. If Houston doesn’t have the type of culture Green wants after a few seasons, what would the advice from Wade be?
Houston could dovetail that by continuing to build a culture around its young talent, but the future of that is unknown.
Wade has his hands in two franchises as a Miami Heat legend that owns part of the Utah Jazz. If Houston can’t build the culture Green wants, it appears he’ll certainly have insight into others.
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