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Miami Heat: Ranking the franchise’s last 10 first-round picks

By Sam DiGiovanni

MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 14: Bam Adebayo #13, Justise Winslow #20, and Tyler Herro #14 of the Miami Heat look on against the Atlanta Hawks during a pre-season game on October 14, 2019 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 14: Bam Adebayo #13, Justise Winslow #20, and Tyler Herro #14 of the Miami Heat look on against the Atlanta Hawks during a pre-season game on October 14, 2019 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Miami Heat (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

1. Dwyane Wade

  • Drafted 5th overall in 2003
  • Years in Miami: 15

Duh.

Dwyane Wade, a 6’4″ shooting guard out of Marquette, helped turn around the Miami Heat’s fortunes as soon as he arrived. He was an All-Rookie First Team member and an All-Star every year afterward that he spent in Miami.

In his third season, he helped Miami win its first NBA Finals. He took home Finals MVP honors after averaging 34.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.7 steals per game.

Over the entire 2006 postseason, Wade averaged 28.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists. At the time, he was just one of five players aged 24 or younger to average 28-5-5 in a postseason lasting at least 10 games. Wade played the most games out of this group by far – at 23 games, with only one other played more than 15 – and posted the highest field goal percentage and true shooting percentage.

In the 2008-09 season, Wade took home the scoring title by averaging 30.5 points. The Flash also averaged 7.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 2.2 steals, a career-high mark which ranked second in the league that season, only behind Chris Paul. He finished third in MVP voting that season, the highest he would get in his career, behind LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.

Two years later, James and fellow All-Star forward Chris Bosh teamed up with Wade in Miami. The trio led the Heat to four NBA Finals series, winning two of them. The trio was also responsible for Miami’s most dominant regular season in franchise history, winning 66 games en route to repeating as champions.

In 2016, Wade left the Heat in free agency for his hometown Chicago Bulls. He returned to Miami in the middle of the 2017-18 season and finished out his career where it started.

When the dust settled, Wade retired with 13 All-Star game nominations, eight All-NBA Team selections, three All-Defensive Team selections, three championships, a Finals MVP award, an All-Rookie First Team selection and a scoring title. The Miami Heat only missed the playoffs three times during Wade’s 15 years with the team.

The Heat didn’t miss out on anyone better than Wade by drafting him. Even if that was the case, it wouldn’t have mattered. He was an absurd talent, the franchise’s first Finals MVP recipient and a key player on two other title-winning squads. In Wade, the Miami Heat found its centerpiece and identity for over a decade.

Next. Miami Heat: 10 stars you forgot played for the Heat. dark

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