Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade played with some amazing teammates in his NBA career, but Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James stand out above the rest.
Wade and O’Neal won a title together in the 2005-06 season, but Wade and James went to four straight NBA Finals, winning two titles, during their time together in Miami.
So, which player was the better teammate? Wade was asked that question on “LIVE with Kelly and Ryan.”
“Better in what way?” the 13-time All-Star responded. “Shaq was a great teammate because I was young, and nobody knew who I was, and Shaq grabbed me and was like, ‘Yo I’m going to make you a somebody.’ I was already somebody once LeBron came around.”
Wade, who is arguably the greatest player in Heat history, has a great relationship with both O’Neal and James to this day.
Prior to joining the ownership group of the Utah Jazz, Wade spent time as an analyst with TNT in his post-playing career, making multiple appearances alongside O’Neal.
James and Wade didn’t team up in just Miami, as the legendary shooting guard spent some time alongside James on the Cleveland Cavaliers before eventually returning to the Heat.
It’s hard to put a price on friendship with teammates, but Wade clearly appreciates O’Neal’s guidance, which helped him win his first title during the early stages of his career. Without that, there’s a chance Heat fans never get to see Wade and James team up down the line.
Wade finished his career with averages of 22.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game.