Dwyane Wade. 3x NBA champion. 2006 Finals MVP. 2x All-NBA First Team. 3x All-NBA Second Team. 3x All-NBA Third Team. 12x All-Star. 2010 All-Star Game MVP. 2009 scoring champion. 2008 Olympic Gold medalist. Miami Heat’s all-time leading scorer. 3x NBA All-Defensive Second Team. Dwyane Wade also stands at 6’4”, with 759 blocks for his career. The record for most career blocks by a player 6’4” or shorter was held by the late great Dennis Johnson, until Wade broke it with career block number 676. He is undoubtedly on of the greatest shot blocking guards the game has ever seen, his final year in Miami proving to be no exception. In the 2015-16 season, he registered the second most blocks for the Heat after Hassan Whiteside. Whether he’s Flash or Father Prime, Wade has always found a way to impress on the defensive end.

Wade’s placement among the best shooting guards of all-time has long been argued. Some say he’s the third best shooting guard all-time, easy. Some disagree. What cannot be questioned, however, is the elite nature of his shot blocking ability. For the regular season, Michael Jordan (6’6”) had 893 blocks. Kobe Bryant (6’6”) had 640 blocks. Clyde Drexler (6’7”) had 719 blocks. Again, Dwyane Wade (6’4”) has 759 blocks for his career so far. For reference, LeBron James (6’9”) has 773 blocks. These numbers get more interesting when the postseason rolls around. Dwyane Wade has more career playoff blocks (166) than Jordan (158), Kobe (144), and Drexler (108). Yes, defense isn’t all about blocked shots, or even measurable stats, but the fact that at his height, Wade was able to so heavily impact the game on that front must be worth praise.

I wanted to take a highlight some of Wade’s defensive abilities in his final year with Miami. I still cannot believe that the Heat organisation let him walk, but if there’s anywhere I wanted him to end up, well, let’s just say he’s somehow been one of the most beloved players in Chicago throughout his entire career despite eliminating the Bulls repeatedly in the playoffs. I love and have always loved Dwyane Wade’s game, so expect at least a few more videos on who I believe to be the third greatest shooting guard of all-time.

свернуть