Is Dviane Wade the GOAT Miami star? Here’s what Pat Riley thinks
Although Pat Riley is known for his influential tenure as the coach of the Lakers, he is equally synonymous with success Miami Heat. The Lakers recently unveiled a statue honoring Riley’s contributions to the organization. During a sit-down in Los Angeles on Sunday, with Wade in attendance, Riley paid tribute Vade for his career in Miami.
“He came in as a rookie … He was great. He was gifted. He was talented … I’ve never seen a young man work harder than Dwyane Wade to become one of the greatest players ever. Definitely the greatest player in Miami Heat history.”
Wade certainly deserves the title of greatest player in Heat history. He played for the organization from 2003 to 2016 before briefly leaving to play for the Bulls and Cavaliers. He then returned in 2018 and played with the team until his retirement in 2019. During that time, Wade won three NBA championships with the team, including his legendary performance in the 2006 NBA Finals. In the Heat’s historic comeback against the Mavericks, he averaged 34.7 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists. He scored 40 points twice in that series: 42 points in Game 3 and 43 points in Game 4.
His greatness continued into the Big Three era, providing a strong tandem with LeBron James that ended up winning two more championships for the organization. With 13 NBA All-Star selections, 8 All-NBA selections and the 2006 NBA Finals MVP award in his career, Dwyane Wade earned a spot on the The NBA’s top 75 players in 2021 and etched into Miami Heat history.
2026-02-23 14:56:00
