Dwyane Wade provided the spark that the Miami Heat needed to bring their first NBA championship home in 2006. His contribution to the Heat in the 2000s was surreal. Wade established himself as a young sensation after being picked as the fifth overall pick in the 2003 NBA Drafts by the Miami Heat. The former NBA guard delivered immediately. In fact, he won the Rookie of the Year award in 2004. He emerged as a respectable athlete in the country and his popularity extended far beyond the seas. Once, Wade’s wife, popular actress, Gabrielle Union was left stunned after witnessing the NBA legend’s popularity in China prior to their marriage.

Gabrielle Union shared that she did not believe in Wade’s popularity outside of America before she witnessed it with her own eyes. She was left stunned by the sight of people going crazy for Wade in a foreign land.

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Moreover, Union revealed that the Chinese fans were in love with Dwyane Wade’s skinny jeans, his man-pris, and all his crazy fashion styling.

The popularity of Dwyane Wade in China amazed Gabrielle Union

In the year 2014, Dwyane Wade married actress Gabrielle Union. The same year, Union made an appearance on the Ellen Show where she talked about a surprise trip to China prior to their marriage. Union said, “I didn’t realize he’s like, he’s like Justin Beiber in China. I was not prepared for this.”

Wade’s wife felt that his popularity in China was similar to popular singer Justin Bieber in the country. Dwyane Wade and Union started dating in 2010. The couple welcomed their daughter Kaavia James in 2018. Moreover, Wade and Union have been happily married for over eight years.

How did Wade become popular in China?

Dwyane Wade rose to elite stardom after winning two back-to-back championships with the Heat in 2012 and 2013 alongside LeBron James and Chris Bosh. Apart from his NBA fame, Wade established himself as a fashion icon and represented the legendary Jordan Brand. However, the 13-time All-Star shockingly left the Jordan brand in 2012.

Surprisingly, Dwyane Wade partnered with Chinese sportswear brand Li-Ning, which was an unpopular brand in the NBA at the time.

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His association with Li-Ning brought him a great deal of stardom in China. However, it was a hard pill for Gabrielle Union to digest before she experienced it herself.