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Sophomore slump? Dwyane Wade never heard of it. Flash was on fire in his second season. The high-wire antics of his high-flying rookie season were still there, accented by an expanding knockdown mid-range jumper and an instinctual defensive knowledge. His performance had made it indisputable; D-Wade deserved his first SLAM cover.
Wade had come in to the League with the ’03 draft class, fighting for (and losing) attention against the Chosen One, an unknown, a college champ and an overabundance of proven collegiate commodities. Most scouts thought he was undersized for a two-guard, but too big and not good enough to be a point guard. The draft combine still hasn’t figured out a way to measure a player’s heart, though. Wade would’ve led that category by a mile.
Even with the arrival of the mighty Shaquille O’Neal, Wade didn’t show any fear. He commanded the Heat like a fire keeper of old. He must’ve looked into the flames and seen the game—not just his game, but the game. Because playing the game is a learned skill. The game is the photo shoots, the public appearances, the media requirements, the official League events and then at the end of all that, the actual game itself. He was pretty damn good at the on-court part. He was top ten in the NBA in both scoring and assists in that second campaign. Gotta feel bad for those scouts, trying so hard to predict the future, but not having access to the flames Wade could peer into.
Flash did it and he excelled at it. It wouldn’t be long after SLAM 87 dropped that he would lead the Heat to a championship. That explosion in the ’06 Finals was built on the simmering embers of the previous season. Wade would fall down seven times and get up eight. His name was being said more, alongside words like “clutch,” “unstoppable,” “damn,” and “Hall of Famer.”
SLAM 87 truly was the flashpoint.
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