The NBA is back. That means high-action games, super cute guys and very well dressed celebs populating the arenas. In honor of the defending NBA Champions, the Miami Heat, take a look at how awesome Guard (see definition in NBA position Breakdown) Dwyane Wade is both on and off the court.
First of all, he has a list of basketball accomplishments that will make you feel like you should really have tried harder at anything in the past…
- Nominated for 3 ESPYs:
– July 2005: ESPY for Best Breakthrough Athlete
– July 2006: ESPY for Best NBA Player
– July 2007: nominated in Best Play category
- Three NBA Championships (2006, 2012, 2013)
- 2006 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year
- Four-time NBA All-Star (2005-08)
- Three-time All-NBA selection (2005-07)
- No. 3 jersey retired by Marquette University on February 3, 2007
- Member of the USA Olympic Team; won a gold medal in 2008
- 2010 NBA All-Star MVP
And those are just to name a few. He is also one of the leaders in men’s fashion and he’s arguable one of the main drivers for why the NBA is regarded as the most stylish of the big 4 leagues (NBA, NHL, MLB, NHL). Credit should be given to his stylist Calyann Barnett but at the end of the day the man has an eye for style all on his own.
- Named to Esquire’s Best Dressed Men in the World list for the second straight year (14th in 2007; 13th in 2006)
- Named one of People’s 50 Most Beautiful People on May 9, 2005
- Named Best Dressed NBA Player by GQ (following 2005-06 season)
- Named by Forbes Magazine as one of the Best-Dressed Athletes (December 2010)
- Named by Styleite.com as one of the 10 Best Dressed Sports Figures of the Year (December 2010)
- Named Sports Illustrated’s Number One Best Dressed Player in the NBA (March 2011)
Wade’s shoot for GQ
You know you’ve made it in the fashion world when you can get Anna Wintour to smile.
He’s a hot, world-class athlete and it gets even better… he uses his celebrity to help out in the community. Dwyane’s foundation Wade’s World provides support to community-based organizations that promote education, health and social skills for children in at-risk situations. Here’s a list of his accolades when it comes to giving back.
- Received 2007 Father of the Year Award from the National Father’s Day Committee during June 2007
- Listed as 5th on Sports Business Daily list of 10 Most Marketable Athletes
- Listed as 7th on The Sporting News list of 10 Most Influential Black Sports Personalities
- 2006 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year
- Named to The Sporting News’ NBA Good Guys List in July 2004
- NBA Cares Community Assist Award recipient in August 2004 (with USA Basketball Olympic teammates)
- NBA Cares Community Assist Award recipient in August 2007
- 2009 Inducted into the Miami Children’s Hospital Pediatric Hall of Fame
- Huffington Post’s Number One “Featured Doer” for his philanthropy work (September 2010)
- Honorary Chair of the American Library Associations’ Library Card Sign-up Month (September 2010)
- NBA Cares Community Assist Award recipient for the entire 2010 offseason
Wade at one of his foundation’s events
If you need any more convincing as to why you should root (or at least follow) D Wade this season, please check out how adorable he is with his gal Gabrielle Union. Talk about true love…ugh some gals get all the breaks! Not to mention she’s damn fabulous at 40!
