DWYANE Wade has worn the No.3 jersey in his entire college and NBA careers, and it's not about to stop soon as he suits up for his hometown team Chicago Bulls.
'The Flash' became defined with the Number 3 while playing for Marquette and in 13 seasons he spent as the franchise player of the Miami Heat. A devout Christian, Wade says the number '3' has special significance, primarily to honor the Holy Trinity.
“I’ve heard of people who wouldn’t sign with a team because they didn’t have a particular jersey number. It could be a deal breaker and I totally understand why,” said Wade in an interview with NBA.com years ago.
“A number is a big thing for athletes. At the end of the day, a lot of people won’t know your name because people associate you with a number. You associate yourself with a number and a lot of things in your life may go around that,” he added.
Wade, who also dribbles the ball three times before shooting every free throw, led Marquette to the ‘03 Final Four with a triple-double. He later joined Miami in 2003 and won the NBA championship and NBA Finals MVP honors in his third season.
Aware of the number's importance, Doug McDermott, the 24-year old Bulls forward who wore No.3 last season and Wade's teammate, posted a photo of his jersey on Instagram with the caption: "Deadstock. Its all yours D Wade. #welcome."
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