The 2018-19 NBA season marks a 16th and final campaign for Dwyane Wade. While his ‘One Last Dance’ is about celebrating a storied career, Wade has turned in a handful of vintage performances.
The latest came Wednesday night against the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors. Along with 25 points, seven rebounds and three assists in just 26 minutes, Wade banked in a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Miami Heat a 126-125 win.
As Wade continues to add to his future Hall of Fame career, his latest game-winner reminded basketball fans of Kobe Bryant’s bank-shot during the 2009-10 season.
That also was on Wade’s mind, as he credited Bryant’s Mamba Mentality for his game-winning shot, via SportsCenter:
“I wondered when Kobe hit that game-winner on me in L.A., when he hit it off the glass from the top of the key, I said, ‘How is that possible?’ Thank you for showing me the way. Mamba Mentality.”
With Wade mentioning Bryant’s Mamba Mentality in his postgame interview, the five-time champion congratulated him on Twitter:
My man @DwyaneWade ???????? #lastdance https://t.co/BEqk4qA1bV
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) February 28, 2019
Through all of the competition, there is mutual respect between Bryant and Wade. As Wade revealed he lost ‘a little piece’ of himself when Bryant retired, they will go down as the second- and third-best shooting guards of all-time, respectively.
While Bryant is focused on Granity Studios, Wade is looking to make one final playoff appearance. The Heat are currently a half-game back of the Charlotte Hornets for the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference.
Despite being 37 years old, Wade is proving to still have plenty left in the tank. However, he has an opportunity to finish on his own terms which is rare for professional athletes.
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