Former NBA star Carmelo Anthony revealed that Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade once barely acknowledged him during shootaround when the former was a member of the Denver Nuggets franchise.
“We playing Miami in Miami,” Anthony said. “We come in, but we Denver, the ‘Thuggets,’ at this time. So, Miami comes in in shootaround. Miami is very strict with they time. And I see Miami come out in a single file line out the locker room. So, we kickin’ the balls for the rookies to go get it. We wylin’ in there. I’m like, ‘Yo, yo, yo — yo, champ, what’s up? What’s up? Yo, D-Wade, what’s up?'”
Anthony explained that the only reaction he got out of Wade was a subtle head nod. Anthony then tried to get Wade’s attention again, but the Heat legend did the same thing, merely responding with a head nod.
“The second one killed me,” Anthony continued. “They get out of shootaround. (Wade) called me right away. ‘Yo, it’s not like that. Yo, the rule is we can’t talk to opposing teams. We can’t communicate. We can’t do none of that.'”
Wade and Anthony were both selected in the 2003 NBA Draft. Anthony was selected by the Nuggets with the No. 3 overall pick, while Wade was selected by the Heat with the No. 5 overall pick.
In the playoffs one year, Anthony ran into Wade and the Heat when he was a member of the New York Knicks. The Knicks faced off against the Heat in the first round of the 2012 playoffs. Miami eliminated the Knicks in five games, but Anthony had himself a productive series, as he averaged a team-high 27.8 points per game to go along with 8.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
Wade experienced more team success than Anthony did in the NBA. The 42-year-old won three championships — in 2006, 2012 and 2013 — during his time in the league and reached the NBA Finals five times. Anthony, meanwhile, never won a title or participated in an NBA Finals.
But it’s also worth noting that Wade debatably played with better teammates throughout his playing career. He won his first title playing alongside Shaquille O’Neal and his last two titles playing with LeBron James and Chris Bosh.
Wade retired from the NBA after suiting up in 72 games with the Heat in the 2018-19 regular season, when he averaged 15.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game on 43.3 percent shooting from the floor and 33.0 percent from deep. The guard earned an All-Star nod that season as well, which was the 13th selection of his storied career.
While it’s arguable who was the more talented player between Wade and Anthony, what’s not for debate is that they were two of the best players of their generation. Heat fans should remember both players as well as their individual battles fondly.