Chicago Bulls: Dwyane Wade And Shooting The Three-Ball

NBA superstar Dwyane Wade may have made a major life change by leaving the Miami Heat for the Chicago Bulls, but now he is changing things up again by adding the three-ball to his skill set.

Dwyane Wade had an…interesting summer.

He fell one game short of facing former teammate and best friend LeBron James in the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals. Then he took days to even speak on his free agency situation, much less make a decision. He was offered seemingly ridiculous deals from the likes of the Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets. And then, oh yeah, he left behind a team he had been with for 13 years. To come back home. To join the Chicago Bulls.

Pretty much the definition of a life change.

But now, here he is, changing things up yet again.

Because after being a regular season career 28.4 percent three-point shooter, after making only 386 threes during regular season games, Wade now wants to add a new skill set to his repertoire.

"“One thing I’m trying to get used to is that three-point shot is going to be open a little bit more for me. And Coach is telling me to shoot it. That’s a little new era for me.”"

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A new era, indeed.

Wade showed flashes (no pun intended) of his three-ball strengths last year during the postseason, when he shot 52.2 percent, going 12-of-23 in 14 playoff games. Compare that to the seven he made in 74 2015-16 matchups and it becomes obvious to see why those figures stand out.

So why now?

Well, in a way, why not?

After taking a huge leap of faith by leaving the only team he has ever played for, the superstar may as well go all in during his journey with the Bulls.

At 34, it is as if Wade has found a fountain of youth. After falling victim to a handful of injuries and health concerns in 2014-15, many thought that perhaps his time in the league was up. However, the guard certainly proved everyone wrong. Letting go of his former trainer, he sought new help and it paid off. Wade finished last season averaging 19.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game on 30.5 minutes of play. And he saw time in 74 games, compared to the 62 he played the year before, and the 54 the year before that.

So while it may be hard to teach an old(er) dog new tricks, Wade is definitely up for the challenge.

"“I have the ability to knock it down. I’m not Doug McDermott. I’m not Niko (Mirotic). But I’m comfortable with the shot and I’m going to shoot it. I know it’s going to be there, so I have a better chance of knocking it down. Coach has been on me about it. Shooting it when it’s there, not hesitating.”"

There is also the fact that in the past, Wade never really had to hone that skill. There was always someone else filling that void alongside him.

"“This is the first time someone is telling me to shoot the three ball. So it’s cool. Getting them up a little bit in practice, getting comfortable with it.’’"

But fans should not expect a miracle from Wade regarding his beyond-the-arc skills. Or his performance this season, period, After all, not only is it an adjustment in itself to join a new team, but Chicago as a franchise recently underwent a facelift too. It will certainly take time for management to get used to moving on from Derrick Rose, as it will for guys like Wade, Jimmy Butler and Rajon Rondo to find a happy balance amongst each other as well.

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While Wade in a Bulls jersey may look strange enough, there are stranger things to come: just wait until he is hitting those shots from downtown.

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