Key Takeaways
- Dwyane Wade says he wants fatherhood—not his three NBA championships or Hall of Fame career—to define his legacy.
- Wade credits the 2002 birth of his eldest son, Zaire, with giving him purpose while he pursued basketball at Marquette.
- Supporting his transgender daughter Zaya pushed Wade to challenge harmful language in his circle and co-found Translatable, an organization for LGBTQIA+ youth.
Dwyane Wade has three NBA championships, a Finals MVP trophy, and a Hall of Fame career that cemented his place among basketball's all-time greats. But the Miami Heat legend says the accomplishment he wants to be remembered for most has nothing to do with what he did on the court.
For Wade, his biggest legacy is being a father—and he's still working on getting that right.
During an appearance on Off Script with Trip, which premiered Oct. 13, Wade sat down with Jaren Jackson Jr. to reflect on everything from his championship runs alongside Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James to the responsibilities that came with raising a family while becoming one of the NBA's biggest stars.
When asked which version of himself made him proudest, Wade didn't mention his 2006 Finals performance or the back-to-back titles Miami won in 2012 and 2013.
"Well, I hope when it's all said and done, fatherhood," Wade said. "Obviously, all accomplishments in sport is incredible. But, you know, when you talk about generations to come, you talk about Wades that I will never get the chance to meet."
He added that the impression he leaves on his children and family is what he hopes will ultimately become his real "Hall of Fame career."
"So, a lot of work still to be done, but that's the one I'm aiming for," he said.
Wade traced that outlook back to becoming a father for the first time. His eldest son, Zaire, was born in 2002, while Wade was still at Marquette University and years away from becoming an NBA superstar.
"I think before Zaire, I was just kind of going through life and it was about me," Wade explained. "And so, it gave me purpose."
That sense of responsibility followed him into the NBA. Wade recalled late-night workouts at Marquette, with a young Zaire sitting along the baseline, imagining the career he wanted.
Years later, those dreams became reality, but his responsibilities at home kept evolving.
That evolution has been especially public through Wade's relationship with daughter Zaya, who came out as transgender in 2020.
Wade and his wife, Gabrielle Union, have become prominent advocates for LGBTQ+ youth, but the former NBA star has also acknowledged that supporting Zaya required him to confront attitudes within his own circle.
During a September appearance on Conversations with Cam, Wade revealed that he stopped participating in certain locker-room jokes before Zaya publicly came out. He eventually had a private conversation with longtime Miami Heat teammate Udonis Haslem about language he had previously tolerated.
"He didn't know, and he eventually changed his thinking, his verbiage, and then his actions," Wade said.
Wade and Zaya also founded Translatable, an organization supporting LGBTQIA+ youth, while he and Union have repeatedly spoken about the importance of protecting transgender children.
Zaya, now 19, is attending college and pursuing her interests in scientific research. Earlier this year, she acknowledged that living away from her parents was difficult but said the experience was helping her become more independent.
Wade has also continued building a career beyond basketball, expanding his business ventures and transitioning into team ownership. Yet even as his professional identity changes, his priorities remain rooted in the responsibility he first experienced as a young father.
"No matter if you accomplish something or not, you're still looking for a purpose," Wade told Jackson. "And like that gave me like a solid purpose in this world."
