Wade brought his whole family out as he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2023 on Saturday.
It was a night of celebration for Dwyane Wade and his family on Saturday.
The 41-year-old was surrounded by his loved ones as he celebrated his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame alongside top-tier athletes Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Becky Hammon, Tony Parker, the late Jim Valvano and Gregg Popovich.
Wade's support crew included his wife, Gabrielle Union; his kids, Kaavia James, 4, Zaya Wade, 16, and Zaire, 21; his nephew Dahveon Morris, 21; and his parents, Dwyane Wade Sr. and JoLinda Wade.
Wade looked dapper in a custom Atelier Versace cool wool double-breasted tailored jacket with matching tailored pants and a formal shirt in deep burgundy that features golden Medusa buttons, topped by Versace sunglasses, while Union matched her longtime love in a black wool-silk dress with Versace fluted and structured bust and hip volume from the 2023 Fall-Winter collection.
Kaavia was adorably clad in a white dress, beside her stylish model older sister, dressed in a chic black minidress, and her older brother, clad in a navy blue pinstriped suit.
The former Miami Heat star brought his family to tears as he recognized several figures in his life, from his parents to his kids to even friends Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson and Chris Paul, with an emotional acceptance speech during the enshrinement ceremony.
"Thank you all for being there for me and for loving me in the most perfect way possible. I appreciate you guys and I love y'all," Wade said of his loved ones in attendance before specifically recognizing his wife. "And my wife, Gab... Thank you for making our house a home. Thank you for making sure our kids feel seen, heard and protected when I'm not around. Thank you for learning every ref's name in the NBA and for screaming at them so I didn't have to -- saved a lot of fine money."
He continued: "I know I'm traveling for work this year during our anniversary, so I want to say, thank you for being on this journey for me -- with me, these past 15 years. Thank you for learning to love my imperfections, just as much as we enjoyed and love the moments of perfection. I love you."
Toward the end of his speech, Wade directed his attention to his father.
"I started this off thanking you, and I want to end it the same way," Wade told his father in the crowded hall. "I owe you a debt of gratitude that I'll never be able to repay. When I would cry and say, 'I can't,' you made me go harder. You pushed me to the limits I didn't know were inside of me [and] the hard work I put in was because I didn't want to let you down."
"Even though I hated being called 'Little Dwyane,' I admired you as a kid. I admire you now. We had the same exact dream and we carry the exact name, Dwyane Tyrone Wade. To know we hustled all the way to the Basketball Hall of Fame is God's will. So Pops, I know your knees are a little sore, but will you join me onstage as we take our rightful step into basketball heaven?"
Dwyane Sr., wearing a mint green suit, climbed the stairs to embrace his son as they both exchanged I love yous.
Embracing his dad, Wade proudly made his final statement of the night: "We in the Hall of Fame, dog!"
The rest of the Union-Wade family took to social media to share their pride and admiration for their patriarch.
"My dad is a Hall of Famer 🖤 I’ve never been more proud in my life to know someone as kind, loving, and accepting as he is," Zaya gushed in a photo gallery caption, sharing photos from her father's after-party celebration. "He is one of my best friends. I love you dad 🫶🏾."
Union shared several behind-the-scenes clips and photos to her Instagram page, including a video where the family poses for a few photos and an image of her wearing Wade's iconic orange jacket made for inductees.
"The type you remember forever 😉," she captioned her post.
She also included videos of the family at the after-party, where Kaavia ruled the dance floor with her parents by her side.
Wade announced his retirement from the NBA effective after the 2018–19 season in September 2018. Throughout his career with the Miami Heat, he won three NBA championships, was a 13-time NBA All-Star, and in 2021, he was named one of the 75 greatest players in NBA history.
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