“What is the son but an extension of the father?” That couldn’t be truer for Dwyane Wade and his firstborn, Zaire Wade. Last year, Zaire jumped into the booming world of content creation, a $30.34+ billion industry as of 2024. But when your dad is a three-time NBA champ and a basketball legend, how far can you really stray from the court? The hardwood has a way of pulling you back in.

“I’m trying to get into the content world, so hence, my first time on the Pod, got a new YouTube, I just did a little self-promotion there, but um, besides that, taking it day by day,” Zaire Wade said last year when he made his debut on his dad Dwyane Wade’s YouTube channel.

From then on, Zaire followed his new passion, carving a space for himself in the content world. And, of course, Dwyane had no objections. He’s always been the type of dad to support his kids, no matter whatever path they choose to follow.

Zaire is still chasing his passion for content creation, but the court still holds a huge part of his heart. He’s putting in the work, practicing with the same grit and determination that made his dad a legend. While content creation fuels his creative spark, basketball is the dream he refuses to let go of.

On that same podcast, he said, “Training really takes up half my schedule nine days, just trying to keep my dream alive,”.

Zaire’s got his chin up and his eyes locked on both his passion and his dream. Just today, he shared a story on Instagram. In the clip, he’s standing on the court, basketball by his side, soaking it all in. His caption? “It’s a full-time job believing in you.” Yes!

Zaire Wade believes in himself not just as Dwyane Wade’s son, but as his own man, a player, and a rising star. Speaking of rising stars, do you know what was Dwyane Wade like when he was at the age of Zaire?

Dwyane Wade, fans’ favorite

Dwyane’s grind and love for basketball started to shine during his junior year at Harold L. Richards High School, where he averaged 20.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. That fire took him to Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Due to low academic scores, Wade had to sit out his freshman year.

But when he hit the court in his sophomore year, he wasted no time to show who he was. He put up 17.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. Then came his extraordinary performance in 2003, the NCAA’s fourth-ever triple-double against a top-seeded Kentucky team. That game changed his status as a future star and created the way for him to join the 2003 NBA Draft as a 21-year-old guard. 

Then he joined the Miami Heat, and the rest is history. His impact in Miami was so monumental that when he retired, the Heat retired his iconic jersey number 3, ensuring his legacy lives on forever. But that wasn’t all. In the fall of 2024, the Miami Heat took it a step further, honoring their legend with a bronze statue. It stands as a reminder of the achievements Dwyane Wade brought to the court and the city.

HEAT President Pat Riley summed it up perfectly, “Dwyane’s legacy is a towering one not only for the Miami HEAT but for Miami-Wade County. I can’t think of a better way to honor him than by memorializing that legacy.”

But now, all eyes are shifting to the next chapter, the one Zaire Wade is writing. With his father’s legacy lighting the way, What will Zaire do to carve out his own story?