Jazz Snyder: ‘Tremendous Today That We Have Someone Like Dwyane Wade’
Apr 16, 2021, 12:36 PM | Updated: 12:37 pm
Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat drives to the hoop during a game against the Utah Jazz at American Airlines Arena on November 9, 2010 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Quin Snyder welcomed new minority shareowner Dwyane Wade to the Utah Jazz before the team’s matchup with the Indiana Pacers.
On Friday it was announced Wade was purchasing a share of the team after retiring from basketball in 2019.
“It’s tremendous today that we have someone like Dwyane Wade that’s chosen to be a part of the Jazz organization,” Snyder said.
Former Miami Heat legend and future Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade is becoming a minority share owner of the @utahjazz per ESPN. #TakeNote https://t.co/vFDsarA9Cb
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) April 16, 2021
Wade spent 16 seasons in the NBA, 14 of which came with the Miami Heat where he was named to 13 All-Star games, eight All-NBA teams, and won three league titles.
“I know that something that’s been incredibly important to Ryan [Smith] is to bring people in the organization that can contribute in a variety of ways,” Snyder said.
“We’re all thrilled to welcome him and look forward to working with him and partnering with him.”
Wade has developed a relationship with Jazz majority owner Ryan Smith in recent years beginning on the golf course before transitioning into the world of business and entertainment.
Smith completed his purchase of the team from the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies in December along with tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes and venture capitalist Ryan Sweeney.
Wade joins Cannon-Brookes, Sweeney, and the Miller Group as minority owners.
"It's tremendous today that we have someone like Dwyane Wade who's chosen to be a part of the Jazz organization." pic.twitter.com/RiD3DNuYin
— utahjazz (@utahjazz) April 16, 2021
Smith isn’t Wade’s only tie to Utah however. The future Hall of Famer has an established relationship with Jazz star Donovan Mitchell dating back to the beginning of the guard’s career in the NBA.
“Players have such a unique experience that there really aren’t a lot of people in their peer groups that they can turn to that can understand some of the things that they’re going through,” Snyder said of Wade’s mentorship ability with the Jazz. “It’s just another example of the potential role that someone with his experience can feel.”
Despite several stops throughout the NBA landscape, Snyder’s first memories of Wade came during his tenure as the head coach of the University of Missouri.
Wade was the star of the Marquette team that knocked off Snyder’s Missouri team in the round of 32 en route to becoming a top-five pick in the 2003 NBA draft.
Quin Snyder on Dwyane Wade:
"[It's] incredibly important to Ryan to to bring people in the organization that can contribute in a variety of ways. Dwyane obviously, being that person in this case. So we're all thrilled to welcome him and look forward to working with him.
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) April 16, 2021
“He ended our season on the way to the Final Four,” Snyder remembered. “I haven’t reminded him of that yet but I’ve gotten over that at this point. He’s probably forgotten about it after three rings.”
More important than his contributions to basketball, Snyder discussed Wade’s impact as a person, his community, and the people he’s been around.
“There are just people that you come across in life that have the ability to touch you, and to impact you,” Snyder said. “Those interactions take place in many different ways and many different forms.”
