Expected To Enjoy WNBA Investment More Than The NBA, Dwyane Wade Reflects On Helping His Birth City

Investment in basketball teams is slowly becoming something of a staple for retired NBA players. Ever since Michael Jordan became a majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets in 2010, players that hang up their boots often look to invest in something that lets them be around the game of basketball. The latest player to do this is Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade, who acquired a minority share in the Utah Jazz last April. Wade, a Chicago native, felt he could do more, and has recently joined the ownership group of the city’s WNBA Franchise, the Chicago Sky.

This transaction makes him only the second former NBA player to invest in a WNBA team after Magic Johnson bought into the Los Angeles Sparks in 2014.

What does Dwyane Wade hope to accomplish with the Chicago Sky?

D-Wade’s Twitter announcement was met with an out-pour of positive support, with fans thanking him for investing in the franchise, and saying that his decision would “set precedence” in terms of opening the gateway to more investment in Women’s Basketball.

Speaking to Holly Rowe courtside at a Sky Game yesterday, he said that the idea behind his ownership was to give the city of Chicago something to believe in. Wanting to add a community-type feeling and backing of the team, Wade went on to say that he hopes his effort will make some sort of a difference.

Watch Story: $ 170,000,000 Worth Dwyane Wade Expects to Enjoy His Investment in WNBA Team More Than the One With Utah Jazz in the NBA

“I thought the timing was right, you know. I am a big fan of what the ownership group has been doing,” Wade said. The 3x NBA champion further stated that the Mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, who was in attendance with Wade during the Sky’s 95-107 loss to the Las Vegas Aces, is someone he can lean on to make sure the franchise reaches new heights.

But why did Wade decide to invest in a WNBA team despite already owning a minority stake in the Utah Jazz?

The difference between the Chicago Sky and the Utah Jazz

Wade, who’s set to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a first-ballot inductee, revealed that the process of investment and ownership appealed more to him than that of the Utah Jazz. During a recent interview with ESPN, he said, “I’m going to enjoy this process, probably even more than the NBA process, because this one is not readymade.”

The Flash, speaking directly to the potential investors, emphasized that the Women’s League had potential for expansion. When asked about former NBA players potentially becoming more involved in the WNBA, he said “It’s not that people don’t want to do it, it’s just that they don’t know HOW to do it.” He further credited Magic Johnson’s investment in the LA Sparks as something he took inspiration from.

Read More: ?Was Picking Fights?: Having Grown Up Under Similar Circumstances, Dwyane Wade Found a Brother in 3x NBA Champion

With Wade’s investment being brought to the light, and with a growing number of eyes on the Women’s Game, it is only a matter of time before we get another big-name NBA star to invest in a WNBA team. Who do you think will be next?