Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade was considered one of the best players in the league when it came to taking and making big shots during his career, and former NBA coach Stan Van Gundy recently claimed that Wade is the best last-shot player he’s ever seen.
“He’s the best end of the game, last shot guy I’ve ever seen.”
– @realStanVG on Dwyane Wade
(Via @QRich ) pic.twitter.com/j458pYoUjy
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 22, 2023
Wade had a number of game-winning shots in his career. Perhaps the first one that Heat fans will remember was the shot that won the Heat a Game 1 playoff contest against the New Orleans Hornets all the way back in 2004, when Van Gundy was the Heat’s head coach.
Though Wade was just a rookie, he showed the kind of poise and clutch ability that would ultimately make him one of the most feared guards in the league.
Another incredible game-winning shot came some years later in a game versus the New Jersey Nets. What made this one so impressive was that Wade was able to get the shot up just in time after losing control of the ball.
The 13-time All-Star did it all in a win over the Chicago Bulls earlier in his career. With the game tied at 127-127, he managed to steal the ball, run it up the court and nail a running shot to allow the Heat to avoid going into another overtime period. It was a quintessential moment for the star guard, who was selected to three All-Defensive teams during his storied career.
Finally, in Wade’s final season as an NBA player, he hit one more game-winner in a contest versus the Golden State Warriors. It definitely wasn’t as pretty as some of the other game-winning shots from earlier in his career, but it was no less special.
It was an incredible moment that allowed both Wade and all the Heat fans in attendance to celebrate one last buzzer-beater.
There were many more game-winning shots from Wade over the course of his career, but these are definitely some of the most memorable.
Though Wade’s playing days are over, it will always be great to look back and enjoy the countless memories that came from his time on the court. Surely, Van Gundy’s words will mean a lot to the three-time champion whenever he catches wind of them.
