Fans erupt as Pat Riley crowns Dwyane Wade as greatest Miami Heat player
Sports

Fans erupt as Pat Riley crowns Dwyane Wade as greatest Miami Heat player

Scoopico
Scoopico


Pat Riley was honored by the LA Lakers on Sunday, becoming the first coach to receive a statue outside the Crypto.com Arena. While the moment celebrated his legacy in L.A., Riley also showed love to his current franchise, the Miami Heat, by naming Dwyane Wade as the greatest player in team history.

The Heat president praised Wade during his speech, with the franchise legend seated on stage for the statue unveiling.

“He (D Wade) came in as a rookie, he was raw, he was great, he was gifted, he was talented,” Riley said.

“I never saw a young man work harder than Dwyane Wade to become one of the greatest players ever defintelty the greatest player in the history of the Miami Heat.”

Riley’s remark caught many fans off guard, with some surprised that he chose Wade over Lakers star LeBron James.

@LakeShowYo LeBron saved that dying franchise 😂

@LakeShowYo He got dementia forgive bro 😂

@LakeShowYo Miami has been back to the finals one times since LeBron left and then Lost to a LeBron lead Lakers team. Pat is old and salty.

While several fans questioned the comment, others agreed with his stance.

@LakeShowYo He’s not wrong. Why make this something that isn’t?

@LakeShowYo He’s right. Wade is the Heat. LeBron was a legendary rental.

Despite being honored by the Lakers, Riley’s choice of Wade over LeBron had many Lakers fans fuming. However, in the context of the Miami Heat’s history, the Godfather’s comment isn’t without merit.

Wade led the franchise to its first NBA title under Riley in 2006, earning Finals MVP honors, and had already led the league in scoring before LeBron James arrived in Miami.

While James helped elevate the team and form one of the most dominant Big Threes of the modern era, it’s undeniable that Wade had the deeper and longer-lasting impact on the Heat’s history.

Furthermore, Wade spent almost his entire career in Miami and became synonymous with the franchise, a legacy that saw him receive a statue outside the Kaseya Center last year.

Pat Riley draws Kareem Abdul-Jabbar comparison as he reflects on Dwyane Wade’s peak

Pat Riley will likely go down as one of the greatest coaches in NBA history, with the Godfather coaching some iconic names in his career.

The architect of the Showtime Lakers and the title-winning Miami Heat teams, Riley, on Sunday drew comparisons between the best players from those eras, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Dwyane Wade.

“At that time, he (Wade) was the best player in the world,” Riley said. “He averaged almost 40 a game during that series against Dallas, and like we used to do when we needed a bucket for the Lakers and we went to Kareem … so Dwyane, thank you.

Despite winning multiple titles with the Lakers, Riley’s legacy was cemented in Miami. After a difficult spell in New York, Riley captured his first championship outside L.A. with the Heat, with Wade playing a central role in that turnaround.