Dwyane Wade’s 17YO Daughter, Zaya, Reveals Shared Hobby with Stepmom Gabrielle Unnion Involves “Dirt”

We know for a fact Gabrielle Union Wade loves daughter Kaavia to death but what about her bond with Zaya? Relationships can be complicated when you’re a stepparent. One has to be heavily conscious about the boundaries and space of their stepkids while ensuring it does not seem as if they are distancing themselves from the kids. It seems, however, that Dwyane Wade’s 17-year-old daughter Zaya and Gabrielle Union-Wade have found a perfect balance in their relationship.

In a recent chat with Seventeen, Zaya had nothing but praise for her parents, calling them “cool” and “iconic.” And honestly, can you blame her? With a dad like Dwyane Wade and a stepmom like Gabrielle Union, she’s got some serious showing-off opportunities. “It’s the craziest bragging rights,” she admitted.

But what really stands out is how chill Gabrielle is with her 17-year-old stepdaughter. They’ve got their own little bonding ritual—talking about high school gossip. “Me and my stepmom love to dish the dirt and tap into the high school gossip,” Zaya shared. “She gets excited for me when I’m like, ‘Oh, I like this person.'”

But then, of course, no parent-child relationship is complete without a little bit of secondhand embarrassment. When asked about her parents’ cringy moments, Zaya didn’t hold back. “With my stepmom, it’s the dances she posts. She does them tastefully, but I want to text her so badly and be like, Girl,” she confessed. Now, it’s not as if Gabrielle’s love for Zaya has never been a secret.

Whether it’s hyping her up in big moments or worrying about her heading off to college, Gabrielle Union-Wade has always been in Zaya’s corner. Just last year, at The Idea of You premiere, Gab got candid about the nerves that come with sending Zaya away. “We’re stressed out about her being away from us… Parents all have the same nerves and anxieties about sending their babies away. It’s tough,” she admitted.

It’s clear that at the end of the day, their relationship is built on love, trust, and a whole lot of fun. Her dad on the other hand? Well, the Miami Heat icon has his own way of dealing with personal developments in Zaya’s life.

Zaya opens up on how Dwyane Wade handles her dating life

Dating can be nerve-wracking, but imagine adding an NBA legend as your dad into the mix. That’s the reality for Zaya Wade, and she admits that bringing someone home means they have to face The Flash first—a moment that can be quite the experience.

“Yeah, and it’s nice to have that kind of energy,” Zaya told Seventeen, appreciating her dad’s protective side. But let’s be honest—meeting your partner’s dad is already intimidating, and when that dad is a towering basketball icon? Even more so. “He tries to scare any person I have interest in. He’s kind of intimidating.”

Her parents fully support her dating life and even want to meet her potential partners, but Zaya admits her dad doesn’t make it easy. “The people I’ve dated have all been afraid of him in the first interaction. He’s gigantic and has this deep, booming voice,” she shared.

Still, if you can survive the first meeting, there’s good news. “The facade only lasts for so long, and you actually see his real personality,” Zaya reassured. It’s clear that the 17-year-old has struck a perfect balance when it comes to her personal life bonding with Gabrielle and Dwyane Wade.