For the Wade family, basketball is a family matter.
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Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade enjoyed a successful college career at Marquette before winning three NBA Championships and solidifying himself as one of the greatest to play the game.
No matter how much he achieved on the court, the former NBA player — who suited up for the Heat, Chicago Bulls, and Cleveland Cavaliers — never stopped giving his all.
The former hoops superstar's love for the game was passed to his son, Zaire — a 6-foot-3 point guard — whose basketball journey is at its genesis.
Zaire Wade was born to Dwyane and ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches, on February 4, 2002 in Chicago, Illinois.
Wade played his first year of high school basketball at Mount Carmel High School in Chicago on the freshmen team. He then attended American Heritage High School in Miami, Florida for his sophomore and junior seasons.
For his senior year, Wade played for the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers in Chatsworth, California alongside Bronny James — the oldest son of LeBron James — and Los Angeles Clippers guard BJ Boston.
In April 2020, the three-star prospect transferred to Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. He reclassified to the Class of 2021 to further his recruitment before making the jump from the high school ranks.
Zaire Wade Highlights
Zaire has a nice lefty jump shot and a tremendous ability to gather and shoot on balance. The side shimmy he does to his right to create space for his shot is nifty. He favors his strong hand when creating plays.
At the next level, he'll become more dynamic as he works on going right. The young Wade can also play off the ball as a shooting guard.
Wade isn't overly explosive but uses his athleticism in the correct spots. He has outstanding ball-handling skills. He combines them with sharp court vision to make plays for teammates. Zaire doesn't take plays off and plays with intensity on both ends of the floor. His maturity and humility naturally translate into a leadership role.
Zaire Wade Recruiting
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Zaire Wade is a three-star recruit and the 289th best player in the 2021 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. ESPN basketball recruiting rates him a 76 on a scale of 100. He had scholarship offers from UC Santa Barbara, DePaul, Nebraska, Rhode Island, TCU, South Carolina, and Toledo.
Back when Wade's recruitment was open I recommended playing for Fred Hoiberg in Lincoln. D-Wade — the fifth pick in the 2003 NBA Draft and 13-time NBA All-Star — and Gabrielle Union are already Nebraska Cornhusker fans, and red would've looked really good on Zaire. Just a thought.
Wade's recruitment went on radio silence until October 2021, when it was revealed he wouldn't be playing college basketball at all.
Zaire Wade Signs With NBA G-League
Zaire Wade, the son of Dwyane Wade, is signing a contract in the NBA G League and is expected to join the Utah Jazz’s affiliate Salt Lake City Stars, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Dwyane Wade is a part-owner of the Jazz.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 12, 2021
Dwyane Wade's son Zaire Wade is signing a contract with the Salt Lake City Stars, the Utah Jazz's NBA G-League affiliate. Dwyane Wade bough an ownership stake in the Jazz in April 2021. NBA insider Shams Charania broke the news on social media.
Wade missed a majority of last season due to a torn ligament in his right ankle. The combo guard felt his mental game improved despite the injury:
"I think I'm smarter," Wade told 247Sports. "My IQ was already high but I think that being injured and seeing what we needed from the sidelines helped me in general, seeing my teammates tendencies and shooting the ball. I couldn't jump or move a lot but I was shooting during that time."
Now that Zaire has a home this next season, he wants to shape his own legacy and dissuade comparisons to his father. In addition to basketball, he shares interests in fashion and setting a good example for his siblings and the younger generation.
He's not just a basketball player, he's not just Dwyane Wade's son. He's Zaire.
This article was originally published February 21, 2020 before updating.
