The couple's little girl, Kaavia, was the center of attention as she helped raised her dad's jersey to the rafters.
Dwyane Wade’s adorable little girl, Kaavia, may have been the center of attention at the athlete’s jersey retirement event, but it was his actress wife, Gabrielle Union, who he sweetly honored while addressing the crowd.
The 38-year-old basketballer’s family came out to support him as he retired his Miami Heat jersey at the team's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at American Airlines Arena in Florida on Saturday evening.
In a clip reposted on Wade’s Instagram Stories, 1-year-old Kaavia can be seen helping Union pull at ropes to raise the jersey to the rafters.
Looking super-stylish in a slick black jacket and matching pants, Kaavia also watched the action courtside with Union, who was dressed in matching black-and-white theme. The mommy-daughter duo earlier posed for a snap behind a piano.
Wade’s 18-year-old son, Zaire, also joined them for the event, wearing a shirt reading, “Dwyane Legacy 2/22/2020.”
Taking the microphone, Wade thanked Union, his wife of five years, for her support and love.
“To my wife, Gab, thank you for coming into my life and showing me that life can be different. Through you, I learned that life is really what you make it,” he said, as Union was shown on the big screen getting teary-eyed. “Thank you for the experiences we’ve shared. Thank you for those Twitter rants.”
“Thank you for calling me out when I wasn’t on top of my game,” he continued in the clips reposted on his Instagram Stories. “And, I’m not just talking about basketball -- I’m speaking about life. Thank you for loving me, thank you for pushing me.”
Wade also paid tribute to his late friend and basketball legend, Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash in January.
"Kobe said the most important thing is to try to inspire others so they can be great in whatever they choose to do," he said. "I hope I've inspired all of you. Thank you for making me a part of your legacy. Please know you are a huge part of mine. God bless you all. Heat Nation! I love you."
He later told ESPN that Bryant's passing had prompted many, including himself, to "sit down and stop." "Life goes so fast. We move at a rapid pace. It's made me enjoy the moment more," he explained. "It's made me want to create more memories. It definitely put a lot of things in perspective."
Union, 47, earlier took to Instagram Stories to share a peek at the clan getting ready for the event.
“We’re here with the family,” she said. “Everyone’s here from Chicago. Jersey retirement vibes!”
The actress was then shown in the crowd alongside Kaavia and Zaire on Miami Heat’s official Instagram account.
“#ShadyBaby - no matter the occasion. ❤️,” the account captioned a photo of the trio at the game, with Union enthusiastically raising her hand in the air.
The team also shared a cute snap of Kaavia mingling at a previous game, with Wade reposting the photo on his Instagram Stories, writing, “This is her house!”
Wade played his final game for Miami Heat in April 2019, after helping the team win three NBA championships.
He was still pinching himself on Sunday, writing, “It Was All A Dream??❤️,” in an Instagram post featuring a photo of him at the retirement event.
He also shared a clip showing him wearing a “Dwyane Legacy 2/22/2020” shirt on his Instagram Stories on Sunday.
See more on Wade and his family below.
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