Dwyane Wade shared in an interview with GQ Hype the one thing he misses most after retiring from the NBA.
Wade Admitted What He Misses Most In Retirement
Wade played in the NBA for 16 years, putting in time with three teams, before he ultimately retired in 2019. He spent the majority of his career with the Miami Heat after being selected fifth overall in the 2003 NBA draft.
“What I do miss is being better than people,” Wade frankly admitted. “I miss being good at something, really good at it. When you had the career I had, you don’t envy someone else’s journey,” he continued. “I got everything out of the game of basketball that I possibly wanted.”
MACAU, CHINA – OCTOBER 10: Dwayne Wade ooks on during the game between the Phoenix Suns and the Brooklyn Nets as part of 2025 NBA Global Games China at Venetian Arena on October 10, 2025 in Macau, China. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
He’s Had Difficulty Filling His Time
Wade admitted that it’s been difficult in his retirement to find other hobbies he’s as passionate about, or as skilled at. “What else are you going to do? I retired at 37. There’s no way I’m just going to sit around,” he said. “I wouldn’t be fulfilled, and people would not want to be around me.”
Of his pivot to broadcasting, Wade shared that while as a player he was “guilty of thinking what [commentators] said really mattered,” he now enjoys being “on the other side” and understands the duality of the position. “You’re in the studio, you’re going to say things in here. If I tune in to watch Draymond Green play and you have two points and five fouls, it’s my job to talk about that. Right? I respect you so much that it ain’t going to just be flowers,” he said. “It ain’t going to be roses. It’s going to be a little critical at times, but it doesn’t mean that it’s hatred.”
This story was originally reported by Men’s Journal on Oct 17, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men’s Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.