IS DWYANE WADE CAPABLE OF FOLLOWING IN MICHAEL JORDAN'S SHOES AS `AIR' APPARENT?

As they posed side by side for a promotional photo shoot the other night inside a South Beach mansion, retired NBA legend Michael Jordan quickly turned his back to Dwyane Wade and playfully leaned into the Heat guard.

The 6-6 and still physically fit Jordan, fresh off his Hall of Fame induction, was in town to officially pass a torch of sorts to Wade as his hand-picked successor to wear Jordan's 25th anniversary signature shoe later this season.

But at the moment, Jordan wasn't conceding anything as perhaps the greatest basketball player of all time stood there, sizing up one of the best in today's game.

``I am bigger and taller than he is, right?'' a smiling Jordan said with his back to Wade, who is at least two inches shorter. ``That's post-up action all day, right there. I could probably average 50 points if I played now. Especially if I got all of the calls that [Wade] gets.''

It was one of the few times Wade seemed to be dwarfed - in stature, personality and legend - in any kind of basketball setting. And it didn't bother Wade one bit as he laughed and took Jordan's playful ribbing in stride.

That might be as clear a sign as any that Wade is ready to handle the expectations, pressures and comparisons that come with his gig as the NBA's slashing, dunking and scoring pitchman for the Air Jordan 2010.

``I'm 27 years old, so I've been waiting since I was 2 to wear these shoes,'' said Wade, who soon will test the shoe in practice and will have creative input on potential tweaks and redesigns. ``I had to hold my tongue a long time and couldn't even show my teammates.''

While Wade might be walking in Jordan's signature shoe -- which he could debut as early as the Heat's Christmas Day game at New York and will retail for about $170 -- he's comfortable enough in his own image to realize he doesn't have to follow in every one of Jordan's career footsteps.

So for conspiracy theorists wondering if hooking up with Jordan is another sign that No. 3 might end up in Chicago next summer as a free agent, well, that's bull.

Jordan admitted during last week's select media event that he tapped Wade to wear his shoes because of their similarities. Both are fond of Chicago and consider the Windy City home. Jordan won six NBA titles there. Wade grew up there and attended those championship parades.

Wade currently piles up points, dunks and clutch performances as the Eastern Conference's most dominant shooting guard. Jordan was the standard bearer at the position for parts of two decades in the 1980s and 1990s.

``MJ was a player who could play anywhere on the court and do anything,'' Air Jordan 2010 codesigner Tinker Hatfield said. ``D. Wade is the same kind of player. That was part of our thought process as we came up with a fit.''

Jordan was leaving the NBA just as Wade entered as a draft-lottery pick in 2003 with fellow Nike/Jordan employees Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James.

Wade joked that Jordan ``strategically'' retired before he had to deal with a matchup between the two. Jordan, never one to let a foe, teammate or business partner get an edge, fired back on the next verbal possession.

There are two distinct differences between the two, Jordan cleverly pointed out. ``He thinks he can beat me,'' Jordan said. ``I know I can beat him. He's wearing my shoes. I'm not wearing Dwyane Wade's.''

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