Which WNBA team did former Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade buy a stake in?

Having made his mark as a player in the NBA, the three-time NBA champion is now set to do the same in the WNBA having acquired a stake in one of the teams of the league, something he appears to be extremely proud of as he looks to drive support for the women’s game.

Dwyane Wade acquires a minority stake in the Chicago Sky.

According to recent reports, former NBA star Dwyane Wade bought a minority stake in the WNBA’s Chicago Sky. Interestingly, this is not the only move that the franchise has made in recent times, with approximately 10% of its shares being sold to a group that included Chicago Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts. As for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2023 inductee, it appears that the acquisition is something that he feels very strongly about in terms of promoting the women’s game.

“We all talk about support, and support looks different for everyone,” Wade said. “And so instead of tweeting out and saying, ‘Go support the W,’ instead of showing up at the game and supporting, I wanted to take it to that next level, and this was the next level for me.” Of course, Wade’s move must still be ratified by the WNBA’s board of governors but it’s safe to say he’s happy with his decision. While the exact amount involved was not disclosed, it’s interesting to note that this is not Wade’s first foray into the world of team ownership. At present, the 13-time NBA All-Star owns a stake in the Utah Jazz which he bought in 2021, as well as a stake in MLS’s Real Salt Lake which he acquired last year. Wade of course played 17 seasons in the NBA, but will be remembered for the 15 that he spent playing for the Miami Heat. From the aforementioned All-Star nominations to the three titles he won, he was, without doubt, one of the best of his generation. The 22 points, 5.6 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals that he averaged per game are testament to that fact.

Mom always knows best

Regarding the motivation behind the move, Wade shared that his mother is in fact a fan of the Sky and that he himself grew up in Chicago. Yet, he also stressed that his main hope was that his inclusion within the WNBA will help to bring more of a spotlight on the league and its players in an effort to build more support for women’s basketball. “No one is bigger than the players,” Wade said. “No one is bigger than A’ja Wilson right now. No one is bigger than Aliyah Boston. No one wants to be bigger than them as an owner. That’s not what you want. And so we want to bring attention to the league that we can, but we also want to bring our resources to the league. We want to bring what we’ve learned by playing in these leagues for a long time to the front offices, to the management teams, and to everyone.”

A positive trend that star male athletes are following

It’s interesting to note the increasing number of high-profile male athletes who have recently invested in WNBA teams. From legendary quarterback Tom Brady, who purchased a part of the Las Vegas Aces as recently as March, to MLB’s icon Alex Rodriguez, who acquired a percentage of the Minnesota Lynx in 2021. Incidentally, that deal also included a stake in the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA.

There’s also Hall of Famer and legendary Lakers star, Magic Johnson who got things rolling back in 2014 when he bought a stake in the Los Angeles Sparks. Ultimately, it’s encouraging to see such household names raising the profile of what is a very talented and potentially lucrative league. As for the Sky, they are currently fifth in the Eastern Conference of the WNBA with an 8-12 record.