Dwyane Wade Takes Ownership Stake With Utah Jazz

Last Friday afternoon, 3-time NBA champion and 13-time All-Star, Dwyane Wade, became part owner of the Utah Jazz. Wade will be joining the youngest ownership group in the league, which includes majority owner and team governor, Ryan Smith.

Ryan Smith, a technology entrepreneur, has known Dwyane Wade for years, and they’ve discussed working with each other on several occasions. Now, these aspirations are coming to fruition.

“Dwyane is not only a basketball legend, but he is also a great leader, businessman, and human being,” said Ryan Smith in a statement. “As we continue to build on the incredible legacy of the Utah Jazz franchise, we are excited to add Dwyane’s experience and expertise to the equation. Utah is an amazing place, and I couldn’t be more thrilled about the future of the franchise and the future of this state. Dwyane’s influence will be important to both.”

Dwyane Wade states that he wants to take an active role with the franchise and region of Utah. It’s an exciting and uplifting opportunity he’s ready to take head-on.

“This goes way beyond the dream I had to just play basketball in the NBA,” said Wade in an interview with ESPN. “I’ve seen Shaq do it in Sacramento. I’ve seen Grant Hill do it in Atlanta. I’ve seen Jordan do it in Charlotte. If this partnership is going to be anything like my relationship is with Ryan, there will be a lot of things that I’ll want to be involved in…”

“Unfortunately, people in my community don’t get this opportunity, and I do not take it lightly to have this opportunity. To make real change, this is where you have to be — at the top — and Ryan knows that. I’m thankful for him, and I know too that I bring a lot to this partnership outside of just my basketball knowledge and skills.”

Dwyane Wade’s big announcement also came a big question for many NBA fans: why didn’t he buy a stake in his former team, the Miami Heat? Heat owner Micky Arison took to Twitter to both congratulate the Heat legend and address the question. Arison said the Heat spoke with Dwyane Wade about joining their ownership group after his retirement in 2019, but he was not ready to commit at that time.

“I want to congratulate Dwyane on his recent announcement,” Arison wrote. “We had discussed having him join our ownership group after his retirement, but he was not prepared to commit at the time. Of course I am disappointed that he didn’t reconsider. Having said that I wish him good luck and much success with the Jazz. To me Dwyane will always be a HEAT lifer.”

Dwyane Wade joins the Utah Jazz at a high point in the organization’s history. The team is currently No. 1 in Western Conference with a 41-14 record. They’ve already established themselves as a legitimate championship contender this year, and now with Dwanye Wade’s contributions, who knows what they’ll be able to accomplish.