No backlash from Chicago as Wade returns home
Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade is back in his hometown, preparing for the four-day, fourth annual Wade's World Charity Weekend.
Among the events on Wade's itinerary are a benefit dinner, bowling party, youth summit, talent showcase and a school supply giveaway.
While he's been up and around Chicago, has Wade heard any negative backlash regarding those events from earlier this summer?
"No. When I go somewhere, some people ask questions," he said in an interview Wednesday with the Daily Herald. "But at the end of the day, I think the people who really care about the core of the city of Chicago understand that I'm from Chicago and my heart is still here. Just because I'm not wearing a Bulls uniform doesn't change what I want to do here."
The story of NBA free agency 2010 barely needs repeating. Wade met twice with the Bulls, made it seem as though he was seriously considering a return home, then ended up staying in Miami and forming a power alliance with two other Bulls targets, LeBron James and Chris Bosh.
Now the Heat has an unprecedented mix of talent, but may be destined to become the team fans love to hate - outside of South Florida, anyway. James didn't help his own popularity with the fawning ESPN special announcing his new team.
Wade understands the sentiment and is OK with it.
"It's unfortunate you get hate, but hate is needed in the world, because it helps you strive for more," Wade said, referring to the sports fan definition of hate. "If everything was perfect and everyone loved you, then would you have the same drive? Would you have the same focus? That love-hate thing is going to give us more drive and more focus as basketball players to succeed. It doesn't change us as human beings, who we are and what we believe in."
Wade clearly believes in giving back to the community. He grew up in south suburban Robbins and attended Richards High School in Oak Lawn.
Among this weekend's events, Wade is looking forward to the youth summit, where he'll get a chance to listen to what's on the mind of some area teens, with a focus on violence and education.
"I've walked in their shoes. I look at these kids, I see me," he said. "I know what they're going through. I'm really trying to make this a Chicago event and not make it about celebrities or watching celebrities play basketball or anything like that.
"I'm trying to make it about the kids. That's why I gave them the platform to do their thing (at the youth summit and talent showcase). Hopefully the city of Chicago will continue to come out and support that."
In addition to the charity weekend, Wade shared his thoughts on some other relevant topics heading into the coming NBA season.
On whether his two visits with the Bulls in July were sincere: "It's unfortunate. People are going to have whatever perception they want of what happened. I know how I felt. Maybe the Bulls don't know exactly, but I think at the time they understood I was serious about Chicago. If LeBron James and Chris Bosh don't decide to come to Miami, it's a different ballgame. You've got a different story.
"Emotionally, I'm tied to Chicago and always will be. This is my hometown. Basketball-wise, no one can deny myself, LeBron and Chris is an unbelievable opportunity to play together. Miami was one of the only places we could do that.
"I just look at it and say, in '03 when I got drafted I thought I was going to the Bulls. It didn't happen, it was this close. It was bad timing. In '10, when everyone thought it was a possibility I go to the Bulls, it was this close. It didn't happen. It was bad timing."
On how Wade will mesh with James on the court: "There have been guys who played together before that have been scorers, but their personalities and the things they wanted at the same time weren't there. We're ahead of the curve because we both want the same things. We wouldn't have teamed up together if we didn't, because we don't need each other to be LeBron James or Dwyane Wade. But we need each other to feel like we can compete for a championship year after year.
"No one knows what it's going to be like until we get out there. We haven't played together yet. We haven't been through training camp together. There's going to be a lot of growth that is going to come out of that. It's not going to be peaches and cream from Day One. It's going to be a growing process, but it's a process we're willing to take.
On the Bulls' changes this summer: "They did a great job, I thought. First of all, getting Carlos Boozer, he's one of the best human beings I know personally, but also a great basketball player and is going to be a stand-up guy in the community. With the talent they already had and getting some good guys, I think the Bulls put themselves in the thick of things to compete with the Orlandos, the Bostons, the Miamis, the Atlanta Hawks of the world. It's going to be very competitive.
On whether it will be strange not having Kirk Hinrich guard him when Miami plays the Bulls: "He'll guard me in Washington. It's fine."