On the eve of the 2011 NBA Finals, the national focus is squarely on two players: Dirk Nowitzki and LeBron James. Both players have had wildly successful careers, each is a former league MVP and a perennial All-Star and All-NBA selection. Yet neither has won an NBA Championship, a title all-so important in cementing one’s legacy. In a couple weeks one of these all-time greats will be relieved of the unwanted stigma of having never won the big one, while the other will be forced to bear this burden for at least another year.
There are a number of other longtime league veterans also seeking their first title in this series. Dallas’ Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry, and Peja Stojakovic and Miami’s Chris Bosh, Mike Bibby, and Mike Miller have combined for 23 All-Star selections, 2 Rookie of the Year, and 2 Sixth Man of the Year Awards, but none of them have ever raised the Larry O’Brien Trophy. So yes, there are a lot of legacies on the line in this series.
And then there’s Dwyane Wade. Wade and Udonis Haslem are the only players in this series who already possess a championship ring, as Wade led the Heat to a 4-2 series victory over Nowitzki’s Mavs in the 2006 Finals, just Wade’s third year in the league. D-Wade was named Finals MVP, averaging 34.7 points per game in the series, the third highest average all-time behind Michael Jordan’s 41.0 in 1993 and Ricky Barry’s 40.8 in 1965.
Dwyane Wade enters this series in a position that is pretty much unprecedented historically. In a Finals that is all about cementing one’s legacy with a championship, he already has one. He is one of the top-five players in the entire NBA, yet he’s only the third-best player in this series. When else has a player of Wade’s caliber, a previous Finals MVP in the prime of his career, received so little attention?
The dynamics of the relationship between Wade and James remains the most fascinating long-term subplot for those observing the new look Miami Heat. So far the two superstars have coexisted seamlessly, and each player's presence has seemed to remove pressure from their counterpart. When Wade struggled offensively in the Eastern Conference Finals against Chicago, James and Chris Bosh more than picked up the slack. At other times during the season, Wade has carried the club when LeBron is slumping.
Yet Wade’s 2006 ring raises questions over whether the two can continue to coexist long-term. If the Heat lose this series, critics will hound James for once again failing to win a championship while Wade’s 2006 performance will largely excuse him from any such scrutiny. If the Heat win the series, Wade will still have one more ring than James and might even pick up a second Finals MVP at James’ expense.
Moreover, the Heat remain Wade’s team, whereas James is more of a mercenary figure. Will this dynamic change if the Heat win multiple titles and James clearly establishes himself as the team’s alpha-dog? Or will D-Wade’s previous accomplishments still cement him as the “King” of South Beach? Will the two maintain their close friendship over the next five years or will concerns for individual legacy pull them apart?
These are long-term questions that we will not know the answer to for some time. But one thing we do know is this: while a lot of players’ legacies are on the line in this series, Dwyane Wade’s is remarkably secure. And with that in mind, don’t be surprised if he has a big series.
