Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade a class act. His second act will be one of service | Editorial

This weekend belongs to Dwyane Wade. The Miami Heat is set to throw a giant party in honor of his career — a three-day “L3GACY Celebration.

Wade’s 16-year-career as one of the best guards in the NBA — and the Heat’s most beloved player — is being both hailed and wrapped up as his jersey is retired to the rafters of AmericanAirlines Arena.

But a funny thing has happened to Wade since he announced his retirement last year: He’s found a new calling — social activism.

Through social media and public appearances, Wade has morphed into a statesman, no longer just known for his snazzy wardrobe and lightning-quick moves.

Getting older and wiser and looking for a new path likely led him there, and Wade, 38, is the perfect Miamian to take up the cause of those less fortunate. (And, yes, he splits his time between Miami and the Left Coast where his wife, Gabrielle Union, is an actress).

He has said: “I know there are people that don’t have a voice … So I know that I’m speaking for the ones that are muted, the voiceless ones, and I take pride in that. I take pride in speaking for my community.”

His most famous stand has been in support of his transgender daughter, Zaya, 12. On this issue, he’s not the beloved championship player. He’s a father who publicly supports his daughter’s choices — and has won the respect of the LGBTQ community, and should win the respect of us all.

Wade first revealed his daughter’s announcement during a Feb. 11 appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” after his son Zion told him he wanted to be referred to using female pronouns.

Wade urged parents in a similar situation to support their transgender kids. If they can count on their parents’ support, they have a better chance of weather the unfortunate challenges that ignorance and bias bring.

His personal growth, he said, “comes with age, comes with maturity, comes with understanding your position. I’m very aware of life, of all the people around. I’m very aware of myself, so I’m going to speak on what I believe on.”

So now Wade is poised to show us how to live life with honor off the court. He’s expected to sign on as an NBA analyst and even release a song with Miami rapper Rick Ross.

When Wade announced his departure last year, the Editorial Board enthused that he refused to accept a loss when there was one second left on the clock; that he created magic with a ball in his hands and wings on his feet; that he was a competitor, of course, but also a teammate, a friend loyal, encouraging and nurturing who never, ever badmouthed another player.

The most important lesson Wade taught us was how to take one for the overall good of a team, sacrificing personal glory to let the others take center stage.

In 2010, he helped lure his superstar friend LeBron James from Cleveland, pulling off the grand heist with a vision he shared with James and Chris Bosh: that as “The Big Three” they would be unstoppable.

And, for a while, they were, winning the NBA Championship in 2012 and 2013. South Florida basketball fans never had more fun —- though, we hope, they will again.

Here’s the best part: Wade didn’t do drama — ego in check, no tantrums, no backstabbing.

On the court or in this community, it’s called class.

This story was originally published February 21, 2020 at 6:00 AM.