LeBron James and the Banana Boat Crew Take to Instagram to Wish Dwyane Wade a Happy Birthday

One of the best players in NBA history turns 39 tonight. Former fifth overall pick from the 2003 NBA Draft, Dwyane Wade is regarded as one of the greatest shooting guards of all-time, right behind Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.

His closest friends from the league, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Paul, the Banana Boat crew, took to Instagram to wish him. They have been friends for over a decade now, and so unsurprisingly, they were the first ones to wish him. Wade is the oldest and also the only member of the crew who has retired.

They got the Banana Boat name back in 2015 when they were spotted riding a banana-shaped boat in the Bahamas, and since then the name stuck. Although Anthony wasn’t in the picture, he was with the crew for the vacation.

Dwyane Wade: One of the best to grace the NBA

Because he was dealing with problems in his childhood, Wade struggled with academics. This led to him receiving fewer offers for college, and he eventually chose Marquette. His debut with the Golden Eagles was also delayed because of the same issue. He became eligible to play only in his sophomore season but seized the opportunity when he got it.

During his two seasons at Marquette, he averaged 19.7 points while almost shooting 50% from the field. He had not only averaged himself as an elite scorer but a solid defender too, averaging 2.3 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. So Wade entered the NBA as an exciting two-way prospect.

The Heat selected him with their fifth overall pick in 2003. Just three seasons later, he repaid the faith they showed in him. Over the years, Wade has taken pride in his ability to step up in the playoffs, and he soon built a reputation for this. Wade led the Heat to the title in 2006 and also won Finals MVP for his excellent performances.

Then he won two more rings during his famous team up with LeBron and Chris Bosh. They had four Finals appearances in four seasons and should have won more. All these solid performances, along with 13 All-Star appearances, eight All-NBA teams, and also a scoring title in 2009, make him one of the best players to play the sport.