Dwyane Wade provided the Miami Heat and their fans with countless memories they will never forget. The organization and fans returned the favor on Saturday night when Wade’s No.3 jersey was lifted into the rafters in an incredible halftime ceremony in his honor.
After watching the Heat erupt in the first half to take an 82-52 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers, Wade took court one more time at AmericanAirlines Arena. After watching his jersey soar into the rafters to rest in its iconic spot, Wade took in the cheers and “M-V-P” chants from a very appreciative crowd.
Wade, who retired last season, won three NBA titles in Miami. He also finished as the franchise’s all-time leader in games played (948), points (21,556), assists (5,310) and steals (1,492). He delivered 15 incredible seasons for Miami’s fans and for two incredible coaches in Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra. When the time came, Riley spoke volumes about Wade’s impact for the organization.
He will join Alonzo Mourning (No. 33), (Shaquille O’Neal (No. 32), Chris Bosh (No. 1) and Tim Hardaway (No. 10) as the only players in team history with their jersey retired. The Heat is expected to retire LeBron James No. 6 when he retires, which would put all three members of “The Big Three” jerseys among the organization’s all-time greats.