(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Dwyane Wade will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this year, which will be an opportunity to highlight his amazing 16 years in the NBA.
It’ll also be a chance for those who worked closely with him to praise his work ethic and skill.
One person who will always be closely tied to Wade is Pat Riley, who now runs the Miami Heat but was the coach of the team for a while when Wade was on the roster.
According to Five Reasons Sports, he has nothing but good things to say about the guard.
“I coached Dwyane for three-and-a-half years, but I’ve been around him his whole career,” Riley said.
He continued: “As a coach, I drove him very hard, I was hard on him. But I loved him. We argued. He knew I thought he was great.”
Pat Riley: “I coached Dwyane for 3 1/2 years, but I’ve been around him his whole career. As a coach, I drove him very hard, I was hard on him. But I loved him. We argued. He knew I thought he was great.”
— Five Reasons Sports (@5ReasonsSports) August 8, 2023
Riley and Wade found great success together during the 2005-06 season when the Heat won a championship with Riley as coach and Wade as the team leader.
Other plays such as Shaquille O’Neal, Jason Williams, Udonis Haslem, and Antoine Walker also helped them beat the rest of the league.
But it was a shining moment for Wade, who became an NBA household name during that postseason.
Riley was only the coach of the team for a couple more seasons but has still stayed very involved with the team, of course.
Wade has too, in his own way.
These two men are perhaps the most important ever in Heat history so it’s no wonder they have a very close and unique relationship.
The fact that Riley is still singing Wade’s praises even though they apparently argued says a lot.
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