In its 80 years of existence, the NBA has seen several players possess the “clutch” gene. From the likes of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, many have risen to the occasion in the game’s most crucial moments. Among these, however, Stan Van Gundy rates Dwyane Wade as the greatest.
Van Gundy defended his decision to select Dwyane Wade over players like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant on a recent episode of “Run It Back” by stating:
“I’ve said it many times, and I’ll stand by it. I know I’m biased. In NBA history, give me anybody to have the ball in his hands with the game on the line at the end. I’m taking Dwyane Wade over everybody.”
“He had such a great sense of the clock, too,” he continued. “I mean, his very first playoff game. We were playing against Baron Davis’ team down there, and he hits a game-winner, and he leaves 0.3 seconds on the clock. He always had that sense, and he could get a good shot.”
The game Van Gundy is referring to is the Miami Heat‘s first-round playoff matchup against Baron Davis‘ New Orleans Hornets in 2004. The Heat came away with an 81-79 win at home as Dwyane Wade drained a floater from 10 ft with 1.3 seconds left on the clock.
“People will argue with me and talk about Kobe and Michael Jordan and all that,” Van Gundy added. “Obviously, great players. Nothing negative to say about any of them. And I do recognize I’m biased, but I still would stand by it. I’ll take Dwyane Wade at the end of a game over anyone who’s ever played.”
In the first playoff game of his career, a 22-year-old Wade played over 41 minutes, posting 21 points, five rebounds, five assists, and one steal while shooting 8-19 from the field.
The Heat went on to win the series in seven games, with Wade averaging 15.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. Although they lost to the Indiana Pacers in the second round, the Heat guard had drawn attention to himself.
For the most part, Van Gundy has been honest enough to admit that he’s biased. Still, there are quite a few factors that support his claim.
Over the course of his career, Dwyane Wade has amassed a unique catalog of game-winning plays. From high-pressure shots and circus finishes near the rim to critical defensive maneuvers, Wade’s athleticism and awareness enabled him to create opportunities to win.
The stats also support Van Gundy’s claim about Wade being one of the most reliable players in clutch situations. Wade averaged 47.0% shooting from the field over the course of his illustrious career, marginally better than Kobe Bryant (46.2%) and Michael Jordan (44.5%), who are considered two of the most clutch players the league has ever seen.
Dwyane Wade may not have the most game-winners in NBA history, but when his team needed him the most, he rose to the occasion. While being tied for sixth for most buzzer-beaters in NBA history, with five to his name, Wade is truly in a class of his own.
