Last October, the Miami Heat honored their legendary star Dwyane Wade with an 8-foot bronze statue outside the entrance of the Kaseya Center. During the emotional ceremony, Wade delivered a memorable message. Recently, the Heat legend addressed his “in or out” comment on his podcast. The former Heat star used LeBron James as an example to clarify his perspective.
“A house divided against itself will not stand. You’re either in, or you’re out,” Wade said during the statue unveiling ceremony. He explained that his statement was about Heat’s organizational culture and its unwavering commitment to a specific way of doing things under team president Pat Riley.
“I wanted them to know if you don’t want to be here and the way things are working here. Then don’t be here. This is not the org for that. LeBron only stayed 4 years. It wasn’t run the way he wanted it to be; it wasn’t run the way Wade wanted it to be. It’s run the way Pat Riley is going to run it,” Wade said.
Dwyane Wade on his “your either in or out” comments on statue night
— Emo Jimmy (@HeatCulture13) January 15, 2025
“I wanted them to know if you don’t want to be here and the way things are working here… then don’t be here. This is not the org for that… Lebron only stayed 4 years, it wasn’t ran the way he wanted it to, it… pic.twitter.com/PipYohWDY8
Heat’s no-nonsense approach to leadership and teamwork has defined the franchise’s identity for decades. For Wade, being “in” with the Heat means fully embracing the culture that he upheld throughout his storied career.
Dwyane Wade Defends Miami Heat Amid Jimmy Butler Narrative
The Heat have been in the spotlight recently over how they’ve managed situations with Jimmy Butler. While some critics have suggested that the team’s approach might discourage future players from joining the Heat. However, Dwyane Wade, on his podcast, shut down the narrative that Miami is no longer an attractive destination for NBA stars.
“I don’t like how people say because of Jimmy Butler, because of how Pat Riley handles things, guys won’t come to MIA. Y’all can’t quit that sh*t right now. It’s not going to be a day that a basketball player ain’t going to want to make $300M to play in MIA,” Wade said.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NBA stories via Google! Follow Us
The relationship between Butler and Riley appears to be beyond salvaging at this stage. How Riley addresses the situation to silence the critics remains to be seen.
