Dwyane Wade Day: Marquette gets in on 'Last Dance'

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Dwyane Wade’s last dance went back to college.

The guard from Miami Heat, who has named his 16th and ultimate NBA season “One Last Dance”, was the special guest at Marquette’s game against Providence on Sunday. Wade was a standout player for the Golden Eagles during the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons, guiding Marquette to the Final Four in his final year of college before making the leap to the NBA.

This was part of a weekend celebration for Wade, who had his final game in his hometown Chicago on Saturday night, where the Heat defeated the Bulls. Following this, he and his family made a swift journey to the chilly city of Milwaukee. Here, students and supporters wore gold T-shirts with his name and the number 3 printed on the back to commemorate “Dwyane Wade Day.”

“I carry that Marquette badge with me proudly everywhere I go.” – @DwyaneWade

Golden Eagles and @MiamiHEAT star, Wade looks back on his time in Milwaukee as he sees his No. 3 jersey lifted into the rafters. #onelastdance pic.twitter.com/RRlq0iYwmI

— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) January 20, 2019

“Wade said, “I believe my younger self would be proud of me.”

During halftime, a huge surprise awaited Wade. Marquette, along with a few members of his inner circle, had planned a special moment. His two eldest sons and the nephew he’s raising came onto the court. Zaire Wade, his firstborn, handed him a Marquette letter jacket that he had missed out on during his college years. His younger son, Zion Wade, added to the surprise by giving him a baby-sized jacket for the latest addition to the family, Kaavia James Union Wade. This unexpected event left Wade in utter shock.

Wade believed his children were in Miami and couldn’t attend due to clashes with their own basketball timetables.

“I’m not usually surprised,” Wade admitted. “But today, you all managed to catch me off guard.”

From Marquette University, No. 3, @DwyaneWade… pic.twitter.com/IG74CAbxj3

— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) January 20, 2019

As he sat in baseline seats next to the Marquette bench, Wade was surrounded by his wife, Gabrielle Union, and his mother, Jolinda Wade. He was honored with several tributes throughout the game, some of which were displayed on the video screens during timeouts, and another took place on the court at halftime.

Former Marquette players Travis Diener and Jae Crowder, along with former coach Tom Crean, who now coaches Georgia, sent video messages of well-wishes to Wade. Wesley Matthews, another Marquette alumnus, also sent well-wishes and attended the game as he and the Dallas Mavericks were scheduled to play the Milwaukee Bucks in the same arena on Monday. Steve Novak, who was Wade’s college teammate, was also present in the crowd.

“Marquette coach Steve said, “We’re immensely grateful for your return, which gives us the opportunity to celebrate your extraordinary career. Your influence on Marquette, the game of basketball, and every community you’ve interacted with has been profound. Thank you very much.”

In a pre-recorded speech that served as Wade’s halftime introduction, Wojciechowski expressed, “We love you. We’re so proud of you.”