With the NBA season a week away, the NBA chatter and coverage is heating up – and I can honestly say that pun was not intended, though it did make me laugh when I recognized it. Obviously, a lot of the NBA analysis right now is about the Miami Heat’s new trio.
Something that seems lost in the hours of Heat coverage is the overwhelming popularity of Dwyane Wade.
Of course everybody hates LeBron, in large part because of “The Decision.” But some of the ire and disappointment about LeBron seems to come from the fact that he’s teaming up with Wade and Chris Bosh, which evidently makes the King look like (1) a sellout and (2) an unabashed opportunist who is taking the easy way out (which is obviously indefensible – I mean, seriously, who would ever do that).
Wade hasn’t really taken much flak for either of those things, though. I suppose he might be less of a sellout, in the traditional sense, because he didn’t bail on his team or hometown – though Chicagoans, with their injured Carlos Boozer, might disagree.
But he’s still selling out his “legacy” in the same way as LeBron, as people like Charles Barkley have argued LeBron did in joining Wade. Wade is arguably one of the best three players in the league, so if LeBron should do it alone, shouldn’t Wade as well?
Of course not, but the question could be asked: was Wade selling out, tarnishing his legend, and generally acting like a “punk” (to use Barkley’s word) in coaxing LeBron and Bosh down to South Beach?
It could be asked, but it really hasn’t been, at least not anywhere I’ve seen. I think this comes down to Wade’s likeability.
Everybody likes Wade (with the possible exception of his ex-wife, but even that unsuccessful relationship only earned a single dependent clause in Wade’s “Off the court” section of his Wikipedia page).
Obviously LeBron and Bosh like him, as does the bombastic and occasionally enigmatic Heat president Pat Riley.
The other biggest stars of the past three decades like him as well. Kobe, who doesn’t like anybody – even his own teammates, was vocally sympathetic to Wade’s miserable situation last year. And Jordan, who seems at best lukewarm to many current players and was somewhat critical of LeBron, has Wade selling his shoes. Even Barkley likes Wade enough to do those T-Mobile commercials with him and jelly doughnuts.
And I wonder if this popularity is shielding Wade from some of the criticism, even though he was evidently a large behind-the-scenes factor in the dreaded threesome’s creation.
I also wonder which of the Big Three will have his aura rub off on the others: Will the world begin to see Wade and Bosh as villains of LeBron’s caliber? Will LeBron and Bosh bask in the glowing light of Wade’s halo? Or will Wade and LeBron enjoy the relative anonymity that Bosh earned while playing in America’s hat?
Since this triumvirate was formed with a team goal in mind (championships), it’ll be near impossible for each of the three to maintain their individual images. At some point (at least by the Playoffs), NBA fans will need to decide which attitude to take towards the Miami Heat.
(It probably won’t be the last one.)
Question of the Week:
I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to provide Quotes of the Week on Tuesdays, but considering I haven’t blogged for four consecutive Tuesdays, I’m making an exception (and probably ignoring my own rules for the remainder of the school year).
Also, I’m borrowing the question (from a Rick Reilly column):
What should the Miami Heat trio’s nickname be?
My take: Two Men and a Baby
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