Just like his friend LeBron James and idol Michael Jordan, Dwyane Wade is making moves off the court and now he can call himself an NBA owner after purchasing an ownership stake in the Utah Jazz. It wasn’t so long ago when the team was sold to Ryan Smith, who promised a lot of good things for the franchise.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports that the Miami Heat icon is joining a series of players who did it in the past, including the two aforementioned, Shaquille O’Neal and Grant Hills.
Three-time NBA champion Dwyane Wade has purchased an ownership stake in the Utah Jazz, joining majority owner and team governor Ryan Smith with plans to take an active role in the franchise and region.
Wade, an eight-time All-NBA player with the Miami Heat, is the latest of several Hall of Fame-level players with NBA ownership stakes, including Grant Hill (Atlanta Hawks), Shaquille O’Neal (Sacramento Kings) and Charlotte Hornets majority owner Michael Jordan. Magic Johnson previously had a 4% stake in the Los Angeles Lakers.
“This goes way beyond the dream I had to just play basketball in the NBA,” Wade told ESPN. “I’ve seen Shaq do it in Sacramento. I’ve seen Grant Hill do it in Atlanta. I’ve seen Jordan do it in Charlotte. If this partnership is going to be anything like my relationship is with Ryan, there are going to be a lot of things that I’ll want to be involved in.”
“… Unfortunately, people in my community don’t get this opportunity, and I do not take it lightly to have this opportunity. To make real change, this is where you have to be — at the top — and Ryan knows that. I’m thankful for him, and I know too that I bring a lot to this partnership outside of just my basketball knowledge and skills.”
This could be a shocking move for a lot of people but Wade has been praising the Jazz this season, pointing out how well they have played and even claiming he’d like to be Jordan Clarkson if he was still in the league.
Wade spent 17 years in the league, winning three titles, getting the call for 13 NBA All-Star games and becoming the scoring champion in 2009. He left the league in 2019, playing with the Heat and now it’s time to see him in a new position. Added to his job as an analyst, he’s now a part-owner of the Jazz. A very good move for Flash.
