One of the more concrete NBA debates amongst fans comes within the top shooting guards to ever play the game. Michael Jordan unanimously is at the very top of that list, followed by Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade. There was a time where even James Harden was in these discussions, although that’s a debate for another day.
Bryant and Wade were once simultaneously one of the best players in the world, but what if the two legends decided to team up? According to reports, a pairing between the two was something discussed. Ramona Shelburne of ESPN recently noted that Bryant tried to recruit Wade during his final seasons in hopes of making one last run.
“Bryant had tried to cajole the Lakers into fielding better teams around him in his final few seasons in L.A., recruiting free agent forward LaMarcus Aldridge, Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade, and encouraging a trade for Sacramento Kings star DeMarcus Cousins, sources said.”
At that time, both players weren’t what they once used to be. Bryant’s final years came in 2015 and 2016; right after LeBron James decided to jump ship from the Miami Heat. During the 2014-15 season, Bryant averaged 22.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists. He was still playing at an All-Star level, but ultimately had his season hampered with injuries where the Hall of Famer only appeared in 35 games.
The following season came with Bryant’s farewell tour, where he averaged 17.6 points in 66 games. It is an honor for a player as great as himself to think of Wade in trying to chase for one last championship in his later years, but with the availability and vast decline in his game, Bryant may not have had another run like that left in his game at the time.
Wade on the other hand was thriving in those years in the post-LeBron era for the Heat. Wade’s injury history with his knees caught up to him as well, but he was able to adjust his game to still be a highly impactful All-Star player. He also was relatively solid in his own availability, appearing in 62 and 74 games during Bryant’s last two seasons.
There was still a lot left in the tank from Wade as he embraced his infamous “Father Prime” era with Miami. His savvy basketball IQ and skills were at an all-time high; being able to pick apart opposing defenses with relying on his past athleticism anymore. He had his bag of tricks on the offensive end that featured plenty of post work, mid range shooting and crafty finishes at the rim.
Wade averaged 21.5 points and 19.0 points in two All-Star seasons with the Heat in the 2015 and 2016 campaigns.
Everybody remembers the iconic purple shirt man from the Heat and Charlotte Hornets first round series back in 2016. He still had a deep playoff run in him, but It seemed like the slightly older Bryant at the time was closer to his way out than Wade was.
Wade’s own farewell tour didn’t come until three years after Bryant. As iconic as it would’ve been to see these two sharing the court together on the same team, the timelines didn’t work out between them in this case.
At the end of the day, there are no regrets, as the pair of top shooting guards in history combined for eight championship rings when it was all said and done.
***
To check out our other content, click here.
Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Twitter/X here!
Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Instagram here!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel here!