A Father First: How My Life Became Bigger Than Basketball (48 page)

Whether you sign the President’s Fatherhood Pledge, write the words to your own pledge, and/or connect with a local parenting program, what matters most is that you’ve made a serious commitment to
being involved
in the lives of your children and to stepping up as a positive role model and mentor for children in your life and community.

As I have learned from the experience of writing this book, I’m far from having all of the answers. Certainly I’ve made mistakes as a dad, and hopefully by learning from them I’ve grown as a parent and a person. And as I grow as a father, I will continue to share more lessons learned.

Until then, I’m sending out my best to everyone who came along on this journey with me, with blessings always from my household to yours.

Photographic Insert

At five years old, even though I didn’t talk a lot, I was already cooking up big plans. No matter how hard times were, that smile tells you that I believed one day my dreams could become real.

Courtesy of the Wade family.

At age nine, around the time that my fourth-grade picture was taken (
above), 
and before the move to Robbins, I fell in love with basketball. By eighth-grade graduation
(pictured with cap and gown),
despite a height disadvantage, with toughening up from Dad’s coaching and hooping with my brothers, I was skilled enough to make shots in the middle of being thrown on my butt. That’s when my father nicknamed me Lucky.

Courtesy of the Wade family.

Courtesy of the Wade family.

At Harold L. Richards High School, under the mentorship of Coach Jack Fitzgerald and Assistant Coach Gary Adams, I was taught the power of teamwork and the importance of continually pushing myself if I really wanted to go further with my game.

Courtesy of the Wade family.

Just ten years ago, at the age of twenty, I was already a new father and finishing up my sophomore year at Marquette University. In this shot, I’m joined by my oldest sister, Deanna (
far left),
my youngest sister, Maryya (
in front),
and my closest sister, Tragil (
far right).

Courtesy of the Wade family.

High school senior prom feels like a few lifetimes ago. I’m with my favorite girl and Big Dwyane. No matter what was going on with my parents, long after they divorced, they always made the effort to get past their differences to be there for us on special occasions.

Courtesy of the Wade family.

Hoopin’ on home court for the Marquette Golden Eagles, on a fast break, and ready to slash to the basket. In my sanctuary!

Courtesy of the Marquette University athletic department.

A tense moment during a game as my Marquette teammates Travis Diener (
#34),
Robert Jackson (
#55),
and I get an earful from Coach Tom Crean. He used every opportunity to point out how we could do better—whether we were on the floor or not!

Courtesy of the Marquette University athletic department.

NBA draft day 2003. Until moments before the announcement that I’d been selected as the number five pick to go to the Miami Heat, I’d had no earthly idea that’s where I’d be headed. At twenty-one years old, with one-year-old Zaire in Pat Riley’s arms, I couldn’t wait to put on the jersey and get to work. It was the realization of prayers, promises, and dreams.

By Victor Baldizon/NBAE/Getty Images.

November 2008. Grateful to celebrate Mom’s fifty-fourth birthday (
shown here with her on right and Tragil on left).
But you can see on my face that being separated from my sons during the early stages of the divorce/custody battle was taking its toll. This was the season that I took out my anguish on the court, becoming the first player in NBA history to accumulate at least 2,000 points, 500 assists, and 100 blocks within one season.

By Bob Metulus Images.