Dwyane Wade: UGA basketball coach Tom Crean ‘changed my life’

Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade gave Tom Crean, his college coach at Marquette, a shout-out during his jersey retirement.

NBA legend Dwyane Wade played sixteen seasons in the NBA. He primarily played for the Miami Heat, who retired his famous number three jersey last night. Wade helped the Heat win three NBA Championships during his storied career.

Feb 22, 2020; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat former player Dwyane Wade speaks during his jersey retirement celebration at American Airlines Arena. Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Before Dwyane Wade began his legendary career, he had humble beginnings in college. Wade wasn’t academically eligible during his first season at  Marquette University under current Georgia Bulldogs basketball coach Tom Crean. Wade built a tight relationship with Tom Crean that went beyond basketball. In fact, Wade claims Crean ‘changed my life’ for the better.

The rest is history. Once Wade became eligible at Marquette, he took the Golden Eagles to a 26-7 season as a sophomore, then to a final four appearance as a junior. Wade lived up to the hype after being the fifth pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.

Tom Crean is doing his best to make a similar impact on the lives of his players at UGA. Anthony Edwards may be Crean’s most talented player since Wade.

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