D’Angelo Russell has been the talk of the town over the past few days due to his move away from Los Angeles. The 29-year-old guard was traded to the Brooklyn Nets as a part of a deal where the Lakers received Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. This news has been well received in the basketball world, given it was at Brooklyn that he truly broke out, as he was named an All-Star for the first and only time in his career in 2018-19.

Furthermore, Miami Heat legend, Dwayne Wade appears to be thrilled about his fellow Li-Ning athlete making a return to Brooklyn. The NBA Hall of Famer took to Instagram to show his excitement for the move! He posted a picture of Russell’s All-Star season with all the stats. D’Lo averaged an impressive 21.1 points, seven assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game.

To top it all off, Wade’s song selection was on point as he chose “Guess Who’s Back” by Scarface to add more depth to his story. Well, if you look at the bigger picture D’Wade might be hinting at something. What? You might ask, Wade is a minority owner at the Utah Jazz, and since Russell is just on the Nets roster for the 2024-25 season after which he returns to free agency.

Wade given his good relationship with Russell might be interested in bringing the guard to Jazz next season as they look to rebuild their roster. Additionally, It seems Wade is expecting the new Nets signing to deliver a similar performance and step into a leadership role and after he becomes a free agent he could be a useful piece for the Jazz. Let’s dive deeper into the Wade and D’Lo connection as we look at their Li-Ning connection.

Dwayne Wade and D’Angelo Russell’s Li-Ning Connection

Although Dwayne Wade’s recent social media appreciation might come as a surprise to many, however the two share a connection through the Chinese brand. Additionally, it was back in 2019 when Wade announced Russell as the first signature athlete for his brand Way of Wade which is in partnership with Li-Ning.

Dwayne Wade and the Chinese sportswear brand first joined forces back in 2012 to create sportswear including his own signature shoes. “I’m excited to announce I’ve just signed my first signature athlete – D’Angelo Russell. @Dloading is the perfect player & person to continue the work that I started with @WayofWade. @Dloading …here’s to making your own way. Thank you for believing in us!” Wade wrote in his tweet announcing the news.

Furthermore, Wade and D’Lo share a mutual respect for each other and have a pretty good working relationship that also transcends off the court. As the former NBA star expects the new Brooklyn acquisition to further extend his legacy by wearing the “Way of Wade” line of shoes on the hardwood.