Dwyane Wade’s mysterious foot ailment will not keep him out of the All-Star Game, but the Heat’s shooting guard isn’t going to be playing heavy minutes on Sunday.
Wade spoke with Pacers and East All-Star coach Frank Vogel on Friday to clear up any lingering confusion about Wade’s role in this his 10th All-Star game. He will be more of an All-Star spectator for the NBA’s midseason exhibition than an All-Star participant.
“I told [Vogel] I’m going to get out there and have a little fun, but I’m going to sit down,” Wade said.
Wade has missed his past two games with varying maladies and has missed 15 games total this season. That’s two more games than he missed all of last season. On Tuesday, Wade sat out the Heat’s game at Phoenix due to a migraine. The following day, he was slated to play against the Golden State Warriors, but was a late scratch when he began losing feeling in his foot.
Wade referred to the episode as a case of “drop foot” and said he couldn’t flex his foot. The medical condition known as “foot drop” can be a significant ailment. According to webMD.com, foot drop —which is sometimes referred to as “drop foot” — “stems from weakness or paralysis of the muscles that lift the foot.”
Wade didn’t seem too concerned Friday during the NBA’s scheduled interview sessions at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans.
“It’s a just a weird thing, but I’m not really worried about it,” Wade said. “The foot is back. It ain’t dropped no more. It’s lifted.”
Heat team doctor Harlan Selesnick evaluated Wade on Friday afternoon as a precautionary measure, but Wade said began feeling better when he arrived in New Orleans on Thursday.
“I got off the plane and landed in New Orleans it started feeling a little better, a little movement in my foot and then as I woke up the next day I had full feeling in my leg,” Wade said. “One of the things the trainer said is it’s going to go away on its own, you just don’t know how much time it’s going to take.”
Free Agency talk
There was plenty of talk about free agency at media availability. Except for making a joke about possibly joining the Dallas Cowboys, LeBron James avoided the topic all together. Chris Bosh was a little more forthcoming.
Bosh has made clear he wants to stay in Miami for years to come, but even he acknowledges that offseason business could get complicated. That’s why, for now, Bosh, Wade and James are trying to focus solely on the task winning their third consecutive title.
“We know that it’s there,” Bosh said of free agency. “We know that it’s coming up, but it takes everything to win a championship. To try to defend it for a second time, that’s going to take even more.
“So, we know that we can’t really concern ourselves too much with the future. We know it’s there. We know it’s not going anywhere. We know we have decisions to make, but we need it all if we’re going to three-peat, so we’re just going to take one day at a time and make sure we take care of today.”
New York’s next
This year’s All-Star game hasn’t even taken place, but players are already being asked about the 2015 All-Star weekend in New York. At least one prominent player is already excited about the possibility of playing in an All-Star game at Madison Square Garden.
“If I’m fortunate enough to make it, being in the Garden for an All-Star Game … wow, that’s going to be big time,” James said. “That might be my favorite. Hopefully I’m fortunate enough to play some good basketball and I’m injury free, that will probably be my favorite.”
Next year’s three-point contest and slam dunk competition will be held in Brooklyn at the Nets’ Barclays Center. Of course, traveling between boroughs could be a slight problem if New York is hit by a blizzard similar to the storm that hit the East Coast this week.
“Me and my wife were talking about it last night,” James said. “The only problem is what if New York City next year is like New York City today. I don’t know what the NBA will do with that. Will they cancel it?”
Durant annoyed
Kevin Durant was asked to rate on a scale of one to 10 how annoyed he was of being asked about his rivalry with James.
“About 25,” Durant said. “It’s every day. You should really focus on how good LeBron James is and the growth that I’ve had as a player. I think people should appreciate that more than always comparing guys. You want to compare everything and judge everything and that’s just how humans are, but just sit back and enjoy the basketball that’s being played. Not just by LeBron and myself, but other guys in this league.
“Just enjoy it. It’s here today and gone tomorrow.”
Durant went on to say that it’s not about a rivalry with James that’s important. It’s about both players making each other better.
“I read a good book,” Durant said. “It’s called the Bible and it says iron sharpens iron and one man sharpens another, so if you look at it that way, then you’re playing against a guy that’s at the top of his game is only going to make you better.”
His legacy
James was asked what’s left for him to accomplish.
“What’s left?” James repeated. “Greatness.”
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