“We’ve pushed each other and helped each other’s career[s] go up another level and another notch. So he’s been great for me, and I’ve been great for him.” Dwyane Wade once described the impact of friendship and partnership with LeBron James. Rivals from the 2003 draft year would go on to forge a successful bond, where they celebrate not just each other but entire families’ success. So on the Lakers superstar’s special day, the Miami veteran made the day even more memorable in a cheeky way.

“‘It’s about damn time. Welcome to the 40 Club @kingjames.” D-Wade, on his Instagram story, wished his brother. but did not add his image– The Flash had a better replacement.

The Wade family is currently on vacation, enjoying Christmas and the New Year. Their destination turned out to be Critterville Farm Sanctuary, which is based in Riverhead, New York. Taking the witty road, Dwyane Wade chose a picture of a goat to wish his former teammate. While LeBron, at 40, continues to shine on court, Wade, at 42, has seen Hall of Fame honor, statue unveiling, and sexiest man alive in his age group tag come his way. No wonder he cheerfully welcomes his friend to the club.

But he wasn’t the only one to play with the words and pick on the Akron native’s age.

“Happy Baaa🐐 Day 👴🏾🎊,” Former teammate and champion alongside, Dwight Howard, shared on X. Subtly joining the longevity wagon, he then added, “If I really wanted to, I could probably play at a high level for another five to seven years. But I’m not gonna do that.” 

The four-time NBA Champion’s league journey started in 2003, but he had made waves well before that—so much so that Sports Illustrated dubbed him ‘The Chosen One’ ahead of the draft. This signified him being next in line to take over the reins of Michael Jordan, who retired for the third and final time in the same year.

Being a Chicago native, and idolizing Michael Jordan, even Dwyane Wade wanted to leave a mark on the league. With their mindset on achieving greatness, Wade previously stated how his bond with LeBron was completely “organic.”

“Some things you can’t explain. Sometimes it’s just chemistry.” Even LeBron echoed a similar sentiment previously. “You find guys you have something in common with, then you continue to link and that’s what we did.” Their innate ability to compete once made the fans turn on them, which was a sore sight.

Dwyane Wade and LeBron James faced a lot of Heat for “The Decision”

When the Miami franchise formed the Big 3, the majority of the fans in the league were not on board. Especially the supporters from Cleveland, who felt King James abandoned them. On the court, they would achieve tremendous success, but still, it earned them the tag of “villain,” which Dwyane Wade was never a fan of.

“I’m not a Villain; I don’t want to be that.” On his podcast in June, the three-time NBA Champion opened up about his feelings about playing alongside LeBron James and Chris Bosh: “I want to play basketball. I want to smile when I want to. I want to talk a little sh–.” In fact, the Heat legend even pointed out that the media narrative towards the players is often harsh. 

But they would put those struggles behind them and appear in 4 back-to-back finals, winning 2 championships in the process. That phase is long gone in their respective careers, as both receive plenty of applause and love for their achievements.