Dwyane Wade — the future Hall of Famer, the three-time champion, the greatest player in Miami Heat history and one of the best two guards to ever play the game — isn’t done yet.
He announced Sunday in an emotional video he will return for one more season with the Miami Heat.
(You can see the full video of his announcement above.)
“Whether they’ve been good or whether they’ve been bad, I got here because I’ve done things the way I feel is right for me and right for my family… I feel it’s right to ask you guys to join me for one last dance, for one last season.”
“This is it. I’ve given this game everything that I have, and I’m happy about that, and I’m going to give it for one last season.”
“Let’s enjoy it. Let’s have some joy in this last season. Let’s push this young team.”
Wade returns to a 44-win team that is essentially running it back with the same roster, just with more Wade (and they hope more health overall).
Wade had weighed this decision all summer, but through it all was working out to get his body ready (a sign that he was going to give it one more run).
This will be Wade’s 16th NBA season, and more than 14 of those will have been with the Heat. Last season he played the final 21 games with Miami coming off the bench, scoring 12 points a game in the regular season, then in the playoffs averaged 16.5 points per game and had a turn-back-the-clock Game 4 against Philadelphia to force a Game 5. His role has shrunk, and his knees need rest during the grind of the season, but Wade can still play the game at a high level and take over for stretches.
Wade will get huge ovations and tribute videos in every city he visits, and Miami fans will pack the building to say goodbye to a legend. Things will feel different in Miami without him.
But not for another year.