Miami Heat great Dwyane Wade was known as "Flash" during his early NBA playing days
Miami Heat greats Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal once formed one of the top duos in the NBA.
It was a time when Wade was still a budding superstar while O'Neal was entering the downside of his career. Even with an aging O'Neal, the two were still able to win the franchise's first championship. The defeated the Dallas Mavericks behind an epic performance from Wade. He helped the Heat rally from a 2-0 deficit, winning four straight games to take the trophy.
At this time, Wade earned the nickname "Flash" because he was the Heat's other star player. In an interview with The Athletic, Wade revealed it was O'Neal who gave him the label.
The name followed Wade throughout his Hall of Fame career.
"He showed me the ropes," Wade said. "He showed me how to be a superstar on and off the court. He even gave me the nickname ‘Flash.’ He talked to me about authenticity and making sure that my DNA was in everything I did. It changed how I went into meetings, how I thought about my brand and myself.”
O'Neal arrived in Miami after winning three championships while playing alongside Kobe Bryant with the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite the success, Bryant and O'Neal's relationship fizzled because of egos. After they lost to the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 Finals, O'Neal was traded to the Heat in a blockbuster deal.
The Heat may have won two championships during their era if not for a rib injury that hampered Wade in the Eastern Conference finals against the Pistons. Wade said playing with O'Neal helped him because a better player and prepped him for becoming the franchise player for the next several years.
“He was an incredible leader for me from the first moment he got traded to Miami in 2004," Wade said. "The first conversation we had was about what had happened in Los Angeles with Kobe Bryant and what could not happen here in Miami. He just let me know right away: ‘This is your team. I’m your big brother. I’m here to back you up.’"
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Shandel Richardson is the publisher of HeatRoundtable. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com