Sadly, D-Wade never got an opportunity to go toe-to-toe with LeBron in the playoffs.
For many, it’s quite a cliché to say LeBron James is unstoppable. But for Dwyane Wade, it was a real-life experience. As far back as Wade can remember, James has always been a problem, especially when they were still playing against each other.
According to “Flash,” it was not enough that they stop LeBron from scoring as that was just one of the many things he could do on the court. Oftentimes, Dwyane just found himself thinking there was just no way to stop James from doing damage.
“With me, LeBron as an opponent, it’s tough to beat him,” Wade said in 2016 via NBA.com. “He has a great ability to get his teammates in the game and still end up with a triple-double. Even when you think you’ve got him contained. He’s just one of those players where… this game was made for him.”
D-Wade never really had the chance to test LeBron and vice versa
Wade and James have been friends since they crossed paths at the NBA combine in 2003. Before making history in Miami as teammates, they clashed several times as two of the best players in the league. However, they never got the chance to take on each other during the playoffs.
Looking back, D-Wade admitted that he would’ve fancied putting LeBron to the test during an intense playoff matchup as he did with some of his fiercest rivals.
“The one thing I’ve never had to do, I’ve never had to play him in a playoff series before, and he’s never had to play me,” Wade reflected. “So we haven’t had to really get too deep into ‘Oh, what are the guy’s weaknesses?’ When you’ve got great players, even when you think you know their weaknesses, they surprise you, and they come up with something incredible.”
God did it
Wade played his final NBA game in 2019, and he wasn’t surprised that James is still playing to this day, not to mention at a high level still. The way D-Wade sees it, LeBron was destined to defy all the norms in the sport, and it was God who chose him.
“[Points to the sky] This dude up there. (Out the womb!) He gave him everything,” Wade once said of James’ greatness. “Here’s the thing. We know about taking care of your body. What you put in your body; nutrition. We understand the training that you need. I’ve seen this guy [LeBron] taking care of his body and own it. But I’ve also seen guys can roll their ankle and be out four weeks. I’ve seen this guy roll his ankle and come back and give you 20 in the 4th quarter.”
