Since retiring from the NBA, Dwyane Wade has been making big business moves. From part-ownership of the Utah Jazz and Chicago Sky to co-owning Real Salt Lake, The Flash has built a $170 million empire. Add in ventures like Wade Cellars, Proudly, and even NFTs, and it’s clear he’s been just as active off the court as he was on it. But despite all his smart investments, there’s one opportunity he missed—one that Stephen Curry quickly jumped on, and is reaping the benefits, too…

Earlier this month, the 3-on-3 women’s basketball league Unrivaled announced Curry’s entry into the investors list. Talking about the same, the Golden State Warriors player had said, “I am incredibly proud to be joining the Unrivaled family as the league continues to set a new standard for how women’s professional sports should operate. Unrivaled is not just innovating the way we play basketball, but also how we value and invest in the athletes who drive the game forward.” The veteran was reportedly included in the league’s oversubscribed Series A investment round in December, which secured more than $28 million in Series A funding. Notably, $7 million more was raised during the seed round. A staggering $35 million has already been raised till date. What’s more?

Curry reportedly joins a high-profile investors list, including former retired NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony, Milwaukee Bucks player Giannis Antetokounmpo, tennis star Coco Gauff, Olympian Michael Phelps, movie stars Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, and basketball coaches Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma. And, boy, did their beliefs pay off! In its inaugural season, the league averaged 221,000 viewers on TNT and truTV during its regular season and two-day postseason. Unrivaled also sold out every game in the 850-seater new Wayfair Arena, with tickets surpassing seven figures. Not just that. As per reports, the inaugural season also saw more than 11.9 million viewers across TNT and truTV. The league also concluded with the 10 most-watched women’s basketball games ever on TNT.

In fact, the final game between Rose and Vinyl averaged 364,000 viewers peaking at 385,000, which is a 99% increase from the regular season. “If you look at our viewership, the fact that we’re holding is a real sign the product is sticking,” league president Alex Bazzell had said in an end-of-season news conference. Well, no wonder Dwyane Wade is regretful. On the March 20 episode of the ‘TIME OUT with Dwayne Wade’ podcast, the veteran detailed how he let an opportunity to be associated with Unrivaled pass him by…

Sporting an Unrivaled Hint Crew’ tee-shirt, the 43-year-old said, “When I first found out about it, Napheesa [Collier] reached out to me and actually asked me to be an investor in the league.” But at the time, he wasn’t convinced. “I didn’t know what it was. So I did not invest in the league. I had just invested in the WNBA league.”

That decision has left Wade with mixed feelings. On one hand, he understands the limits of his financial commitments. “One, I’m a retired player. My money is only going to stretch so far. You know what I’m saying?” But on the other hand, he can’t help but feel a little regret. “I go back and I’m like, ‘Damn, I wish I would have invested in the league early on’. I just didn’t know a lot about it.” But, don’t worry, he has a plan…

But now, as Unrivaled is gaining traction, Wade is waiting for a second chance. “Because of my investment in WNBA, I didn’t understand what it was. But to that credit and because they’re on television and now we get to follow stories…and the way that they’ve continued to publicize the women…Now we get an opportunity to be exposed to even more. And then…I’m like, ‘When’s the next investment round?’ Steph Curry…is one of the investors in his league. He has a group and now they [are] allowing groups to come in. And so you got someone like me who is a serial investor. I’m looking for the next round because I want to be a part of this. Not just this one location, but where the game is going to grow. And when you see this and you see the development and opportunity to be here, you know why the pressure is on the WNBA.”

Why Dwyane Wade can’t get enough of Unrivaled?

Dwyane Wade has built his legacy in the traditional 5-on-5 game. So where does this unexpected appreciation come from? Turns out, it all goes back to his early days at Marquette. In one of his podcasts, Wade recalled his first real experience with 3-on-3 basketball during a practice session in 2000.

“I was young… So I came in with three or four other guys who was the same way. We play 5-on-5 versus the veteran guys that was there,” Wade shared. Confidence was sky-high. He and his fellow freshmen thought their athleticism could overpower the veterans. But reality had other plans.

“We thought we were better than the guys that were starting. They put us in a half court, 3-on-3… And they tore our a–up,” Wade admitted. “We didn’t know what to do… You got a great pick and roll person. What do you do now? All right, we going to put two on the ball? Are we going to go under? Like, we don’t really know how to get over picking rolls. It exposes you…”

That’s when he realized this wasn’t just a smaller version of the game—it was an entirely different challenge. Unlike 5-on-5, where teams can settle into a rhythm, 3-on-3 is all about speed. The 12-second shot clock leaves no time to think—players must react instantly. It’s not about endurance; it’s about quick bursts, positioning, and adapting on the fly.

And defensively? There’s no hiding. Just you, your opponent, and way too much space to cover. Wade learned these lessons the hard way, and maybe that’s why he respects the format so much now.