Dwyane Wade is undeniably a shining star in the basketball world. However, that journey was never an easy one. Navigating through financial struggles and personal tribulations, he encountered several hurdles that demanded his determination to overcome them. Amidst the storm, there was one guiding light in Wade’s life, a mentor who played the role of a steady hand at his back. 

The legend recently sat with Mateen Cleaves for an interview in the show, ‘Run it Back‘. During the conversation, the legend expressed gratitude for the support he received from his high school coach, Tom Crean.

Dwyane Wade praised coach Tom Crean 

Wade mentioned how Coach Crean was always present for him whenever he was going through a tough time. He added that he broke down when his son Zaire was born. Speaking of his coach, he said, “Coach Crean meant everything to me when I had Zaire and I didn’t know what to do… Coach Crean was the shoulder that I cried on, Coach Crean was the one that patted me on the back and said, We gonna get through this together.” He added, “He was everything, he wasn’t just a coach, he was a friend at times, he’s a father figure at times, he was the leader I needed at times.” 

Zaire was born to Wade and his ex-wife when the athlete was just 20 years old, and Crean was a guiding light to him during that time. Moreover, he also had faith in the champion and supported him, keeping him anchored and grounded. In an interview after the champion was inducted into the Hall of Fame, he revealed that coach Tom Crean was the one who helped Wade get into Marquette University.

How did Dwyane Wade get into Marquette? 

The 3x champion fell short of the required test scores for eligibility in his freshman season. The NCAA’s Proposition 48 rule at the time stipulated stringent academic standards for student-athletes. The rule prohibited Wade from participating in official games or accompanying the team on travels during games. Crean, who worked closely with the administration, shared that he had to convince the former president of Marquette, Robert Wild, to have faith in Wade and let him play.

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Fortunately, he was successfully able to do that, which allowed the Miami Heat legend to get enrolled.

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