No ’Flash’ in the pan: Why Miami’s Dwyane Wade is still a superstar like Kobe Bryant and LeBron JamesJuly 15 08  Twenty-four months ago, Miami celebrated the Heat’s 2006 championship. Coach Pat Riley danced and Shaquille O’Neal rapped. Quietly, superstar Dwyane Wade enjoyed the party, knowing his playoff was the stuff of a basketball god. Two years later, Riley is done coaching. Shaq is still rapping, only now he’s asking Kobe Bryant to sample his buttocks. And Wade is still quiet, except the league he once dominated is talking about him being mortal. Some believe ‘Flash’ is no longer a superstar like Kobe, LeBron or even CP3. Sure, injuries took a toll, but critics focused on his poor fitness. Of course, in 2007, the Bulls swept the Heat and things bottomed-out last year when his squad was lottery-bound by January. However, the chatter about Wade slipping is premature. Things are looking up in South Beach. Injuries ended Wade’s 2007-08 season five weeks early, giving him extra rest. It looks like he has taken advantage of the time off. At a recent charity game, the guard electrified the crowd by converting several lobs into athletic jams. Playing for Team USA will help. Each day, he’ll practice with eleven other mega-stars and then suit up against the world’s best in China. And the coaching staff will likely preserve Wade for Miami’s regular season by using him as a sixth man. He’s also got new teammates. Marion, if he’s not traded for cap space, should provide athleticism. James Jones is a deep threat, capable of spreading the floor and punishing double-teams, while Michael Beasley has impressed in summer league.
Look for Wade, if healthy, to enoy a rebirth. A second NBA Title is unlikely, but talk of him falling off is flat wrong. Is Wade still a bonafide superstar? Get at us in the comment box below with your thoughts and come back to HoopsVibe The Blog for more NBA news. Photo courtesy of photographer Killbucky’s on-line portfolio.
Posted by
lyrical Gangster
on 08.26.2008 | Now all MUST be convinced after watching Wades exploits among the superstars at the Olympics that he is a bonafide superstar, if not the best player in the world right now. The fact that he was the Redeem team’s leading scoring and second in assist, while coming off the bench proves he’s without doubt a top 3 player in the league. Folks please stay tuned bcos this season, may be "Flash" MVP season due to the type of team around to include Marion and Beasely. Y’all better be suprised now than later !! . | Posted by
bob
on 07.27.2008 | yer exactly right . | Posted by
Jack
on 07.26.2008 | He’s good, but he’s no LeBron or Kobe ANYMORE. He was, but now I’d say Melo is better than him too. He’s looking to end up being 5th best in his draft class. No way is he comparable to LeBron, Kobe. Both Nuggets superstars are better than him & the argument can be made that Chris Paul is 3rd in the league. D-Wade is now more of a top 10 player, not top 5. . | Posted by
Cjay
on 07.23.2008 | kobe would have faired good in the 90’s. He can go to the whole anytime he wants. Physicality does not bother him. Wade is a superstar i think he is better than LeBron but both do not compare to Kobe. . | Posted by
Lyrical gangster
on 07.22.2008 | bjay, no doubt MJ and Kobe are some of the best to ever play the game, eventhough I’m curious to know how well Kobe would’ve faired in the 90s. When the league was at it’s best ever, and the league permitted more phycicality ever to the advantage of teams such as the Knicks, the Pistons, the Heat and in face of players such as Rodman, Alonzo, Barkley & even Hakeem who’s one of my top 10 players ever. As for Kobe winning more titles than Wade & Lebron, that one is too early to speculate. Gooshh !! Lebron and Wade might even pair up in 2010, no one knows. Time will tell !! . | Posted by
Garritt Bakhuis
on 07.21.2008 | WADE is a superstar he will always be great but lebron is god he is soo good but kobe has gasol and odom wade has got marion but hes all defence the next leading scorer would be ricku davis but michael beasely will out it 20 a game so the heat will go far this season! OJ MAYO Rookie of the Year . | Posted by
bjay
on 07.21.2008 | I say it’s Kobe and MJ at the top. then everyone else is at the bottom. Wade is still a superstar he carried the heat to the title , LeBron went and got swept . Kobe will end up with more rings than Wade and LeBron . | Posted by
lyrical gangster
on 07.20.2008 | first anyone who says Wade ain’t a superstar is a morone. The mere fact that he’s being compared to Kobe & Lebron makes him one. Had Wade played the last 5-6wks, Heat would have one over 20 games. That team even lost other key players to injuries as well, but Wade still averaged 24 points with injury. Rite now Kobe, Lebron are better than Wade but 2yrs ago Wade was better than both in the playoffs enroute to his championship. There’s room for him to beat Lebron, Kobe again in the near future, no one is a palm reader here. Plus, for those who’d followed basket ball long enough, MJ is not the best to ever play the game, he’s a top 5 though !! . | Posted by
star jones
on 07.19.2008 | wade is so sexy, omg . | Posted by
on 07.19.2008 | he dont got as much game as kobe and LeBron plus he stay fallin after making layups and tryin to draw fouls which iz why he stay hurt . | Posted by
ronh
on 07.19.2008 | Let me get you people straight. Wade is a superstar when he is healthy. But against kobe he has no shot. wade 3 all nba teams kobe 10 all nba and oh yeah wade no all defensive team kobe 8 times it ’s not close. But you can compare wade with lebron i think wade is better. . | Posted by
kobe24clutch
on 07.18.2008 | anybody who thinks wade is better than kobe look here is a skill by skill comparison between kobe and wade.. if u disagree with any of these ur an idiot..shooting:kobe,driving:wade,handling:wade,rebounds:kobe,passing ability:kobe,vision:wade,finishing around the rim: kobe,post-up:kobe,ability to convert difficult shots:kobe,on-ball defense:kobe,inside help defense:wade,dunking;kobe,clutch:Kobe( you can make a case for this one but ask yourself.. ur down by 1 who do u want to shoot?kobe or wade?moving without the ball:kobe,athleticism:kobe,free throws:kobe,descision making:kobe,finishing after contact:kobe, there is barely anything that wade is better then kobe at... silly argument.. is wade a superstar? yes.. but no way si he better then kobe or lebron . . | Posted by
They call me Tony
on 07.18.2008 | A life!?!? Who has the most posts here? Lol! Dude I ain’t mean to upset you, this being your life n all. I’m just allergic to stupid. I can’t help it. I read your posts and be like "damn that’s stupid." But, It is not my job to be punitive, but to educate. So in that spirit, I’m going to tone down the vocab to aid your comprehension..... DWYANE WADE HURT. HAVE SURGERY (DOCTOR CUT TO FIX) ON KNEE, SHOULDER. KNEE NO HEAL, HE NO PLAY LIKE NORMAL. NO NEED INSECURE. AI, KOBE, LEBRON STILL GREAT. ALSO, IT OKAY YOU HAVE CRUSH ON MAN. BUT NO THINK AI GO THAT WAY!! Lol! Loser.. . | Posted by
kobe24clutch
on 07.18.2008 | i just misinterepted it chill dude... and for the record im not a la fan . | Posted by
Franchise
on 07.18.2008 | BTW, boyfriend? lol man u must be on dwayne wade’s jock like theres no tomorrow. If you’ve even watched iverson play in his prime, you’d know that he suffered injuries WAY WORSE than wade... broken shoulder and ankle in one season? c-mon man. Wade will come back healthy next season and when he’s not better than lebron, i hope u shut your mouth... btw, who’s sheryl swoops? looks like you’ve been watchin the wnba this offseason... get a life before you try to pin your life story to me. . | Posted by
Franchise
on 07.18.2008 | WHO SAID T-MAC AND LEBRON ARE BETTER THAN KOBE? LOL Kobe24Clutch, i think you as well as every other laker fan seriously cannot read... learn how to read and then comment jeez dealin with a bunch of laker idiots here... and the anonymous dude, i dont respond to people that make assumptions about other people. Every superstar has battled through injuries but wade is the first one i’ve seen go through an injury and come back looking like the present day vince carter/leading his team to 15 wins. lik c-mon t-mac has been injured for a decade and hes still managed to win more than 15 games. loser. . | Posted by
on 07.18.2008 | dwade will be healthy this year so consider this his comeback year and he is better than lebron james HE IS A SUPERSTAR . | Posted by
Joseph Mutanta Kibenda
on 07.18.2008 | Hey guys, you surely think Wade is no longer up there. Well let me tell you one thing, D Wade is still one of the worlds best guards and one of nba’s supersters. So please keep your comments to yourselves, You cant blame him for the injuries, he is also human. DWAYNE YOU ARE A SUPERSTER OK..... . | Posted by
Jay from DC
on 07.18.2008 | D-Wade is NOT a superstar. Put Kobe, Bron, TD, KG, Pierce, and Paul on that same Heat team and they are winning more than 16 games even with injuries and the last five weeks off. D-Wade is a star, but not a superstar. . | Posted by
kobe24clutch
on 07.17.2008 | this dude under me... what are u talking about? injuries are part of the game.. why don’t we just say t-mac is the best with all the injuries he’s gone through.. its nobody’s fault but wades that’ he’s been this injured and even without the injuries he’s stil not the best... im not sure who ur talkin to.. if im wrong here im sorry.. if ur tryin to say wade is better then kobe look at the skill by skill comparison i wrote down just a few posts down.. i higlhy doubt there is anythign on there that u can disagree with... . |
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