‘I don’t want to do nothing to the coach.’ Wade seems unhappy with Zaire’s playing time
Dwyane Wade wouldn’t be the first parent to dislike his child’s coach and he certainly won’t be the last.
Following Sierra Canyon’s 63-61 regional final win, the Miami Heat legend was asked if he’ll attend their state champion game. His answer implied an issue with Zaire’s coach Andre Chevalier.
“My son ain’t playing and I don’t want to do nothing to the coach so I won’t be there,” Wade quipped Tuesday on TNT’s Inside the NBA. “I won’t be there but I will be rooting for the kids.”
While it’s unclear why Chevalier didn’t play Zaire, Twitter sleuths pointed to a lower leg injury that kept him sidelined in December. That, plus the California basketball powerhouse’s loaded roster, could justify falling out of the rotation.
Zaire and LeBron James’ son Bronny might be marquee names but Sierra Canyon has more than its fair share of talent.
There’s Kentucky-bound B.J. Boston, ESPN’s No. 7 ranked player Ziaire Williams and four-star prospect Terren Frank, all of whom are seniors. Then there’s five-star, junior shooting guard Amari Bailey and 7’3 center Harold Yu. Not saying Young Flash doesn’t deserve the clock but it’s easy to lose your starting spot on stacked teams.
Wade, however, has every right to be frustrated. Any parent would be under these circumstances. Part of the reason Zaire transferred to Sierra Canyon was to show he could compete at the highest level. There’s no way to show that on the bench.
Don’t expect Chevalier to change, though. Zaire told USA Today in July that his coach’s lack of favoritism endeared him to both players and parents.
“He doesn’t care who you are,” Zaire said at the time. “He’s gonna get on you. He’s gonna push you, and make you better. I feel like that’s what everybody likes about him. Some coaches may soften up to certain players, but he doesn’t.”
Sierra Canyon seems to be getting along just fine without Zaire. They’ll compete for a state championship on Saturday thanks to Williams’ game-winning buzzer beater.
This story was originally published March 11, 2020 at 2:28 PM.
