Dwyane Wade: A Case Study on the Effects of Superstardom by Thomas Johnson

Originally published with Playerspress Sportscaster Network: http://playerpress.com/articles/dwyane-wade-and-the-high-price-of-superstardom



They say that power corrupts and that absolute power corrupts absolutely, but can the same be said about fame and success?

Considering the fact that Dwyane Wade seems to be continually out doing himself recently, you’re probably expecting this to be an article advocating his MVP candidacy.

To the surprise of most, I’ll have to leave that piece for another writer. I’m not going to mention his stat-stuffing performances that include a 50-point game against Orlando, 31-point, 16-assist game against Detroit, followed by his 46- point domination of New York (including a fourth quarter in which he outscored the entire Knicks team), or the 41 he just dropped against the Cavs’ top-three defense. No, no. I’m not going to mention any of that. (I couldn’t resist.)

For as amazing as his performances have been this year, one subplot that has really stood out to me is just how much his personality has evolved over time; from a shy Marquette rookie to the international superstar we see today. You see, living in Miami, I watched Wade closely from day one. Like many, I saw the potential for something special early on.

In that first year, there was no Shaq-given nickname, no huge endorsements and ad campaigns, and unfortunately no jump shot either. At that point, Wade’s marketability was yet to be realized.

Dwyane Wade was simply a shy kid from the Chi, trying to fit in on a veteran team. Looking back at that 2003 draft night, Wade’s personality and life experiences were so vastly different to Lebron James and Carmelo Anthony, two players selected ahead of him.

Wade, a few years older than both, was already a married father, while the other two were more or less fresh out of high school. As crazy as it sounds now, Wade received next to no hype. There’s an interview he did with Slam magazine when he was still at Marquette, in which the interviewer notes how shy and out of his element Wade appeared to be when he was recognized by other students on campus.

In comparison, Lebron was already a pretty big blip on the basketball radar by the time he was 16, and two years later signed a huge contract with Nike before he had even played his first NBA minute. Carmelo also received a large amount of national attention after leading Syracuse to a national championship during his one year in college. Even Darko had the intrigue of being a completely unknown variable, combined with the potential bust-factor.

The fact that Wade was in the shadow of two of his fellow rookies suited him (and Miami fans) well. He often mentioned how he was free to operate without the same national media scrutiny that Lebron and Carmelo were constantly under.

As strange as it seems today considering his widespread popularity, that year I went to a mall and walked into literally every sports store looking for a Wade replica jersey to nearly no avail. I finally found one at a specialty store after shifting through countless Eddie Jones and Brian Grant castoffs. It took me so long to find one, not because they were sold out, but because none of these chain stores carried his number ‘3’ jersey yet.

In that first year he was our guy; a player that was loved in Miami, but hardly known nationally. His exciting style of play and humble demeanor made it impossible not to like the guy.
His demeanor and personality are worth mentioning because basketball is one of those sports where fans tend to feel more directly connected to players. Whereas in football, a league where teams have always been marketed over players, and the helmets and pads create a buffer; in basketball any emotion is instantly noticeable to the fans.
It’s a sport where fans tend to study players’ body language just as they would examine a box score. (Just look at how many NBA analysts where down on Beasley because of his pre-draft workout body language.)

That digression aside, I remember speaking to friends at the time about how atypical a player Wade was. In this Cribs-era of sports, where posses and groupies are the norm, Dwyane seemed to be cut from a different cloth. As corny as it may sound, I remember watching interviews and thinking that he seemed like a genuine guy, the type of guy you’d let your sister date.

In games, he had that killer instinct, but it was offset with a humble undertone, which meant he rarely ever displayed outward emotion that could be seen as showing an opponent up. In a sense he was more Tim Duncan than Kobe Bryant.

I mention all of this to make one thing clear; as far as judging personal characteristics, Wade seemed to have as strong a foundation as anyone I have seen. While it’s hard to make these assertions from afar, from all accounts he appeared to be a good-natured, down to earth, human being.

Fast-forward six years to present day. With Shaq having come and gone, and this now truly being Wade’s team, it’s amazing how times have changed.

I remember joking around with a couple friends how after signing a deal to model with Sean John, Diddy probably tried talking Wade into upgrading from his high school sweetheart and start dating actresses now that he was ‘big time.’ The fact that at the time he appeared to be a happily married man that had just built his mom a church, only made the premise more unlikely and funnier. Now that he is divorced and allegedly dating Gabrielle Union, the same joke seems somewhat prophetic.

The man went from someone who was uncomfortable in the off-court spotlight at Marquette, to the guy we see on countless commercials, mingling with A-listers, and wearing a band-aid bearing his own name. To put it mildly, Wade is not exactly camera shy anymore.

Some would say that it’s just a case of his personality developing over time and having the confidence to be himself.

While I can see this to an extent, I highly doubt that Wade would have developed in such a way, had he never been in the spotlight, surrounded by people acquiescing his ego. Based on what I observed when he first entered the league, had he never made the NBA and instead lived the life of an average person, it’s easy to imagine him going through life as an everyday, softly spoken, family man. Of course it’s anyone’s guess.

You have to understand, the point of all this is not to cast judgment and imply that Wade has changed for the worse, but rather to ask the question of whether it is even possible for anyone to stay grounded when fans and media alike, as well as the core group of people around you (many of whom tend to have a vested interest in your success) are constantly telling you how wonderful you are.

We see it all the time in Hollywood and the music industry. Kanye West is a prime example. A large part of his initial popularity was due to his average Joe perspective in his first album that made him easier to relate to than a gangster rapper. However, over time his ego grew and image evolved to the point that while he is still putting out quality music, his entourage now resembles Prince’s Revolution and he is debating changing his name to something more Louis Vuitton-related. Now is this a bad thing? It depends on how attached you are to first impressions. Kanye’s ever-changing persona is generally entertaining to the public, just as Wade wearing boxing gloves and a robe to address the media is.

As an entertainer, Wade has developed as much as he has in basketball. And in a way this is a good thing. From a marketing standpoint, the more outgoing you are, the better. There’s a reason that Kevin Garnet has more commercials out there than Tim Duncan. Quiet doesn’t sell.

On the flip side, neither does arrogance (for the most part). The smart athletes and public figures are able to control their perception by saying the right things so that people simply see them as confident, yet still modest. To put it cynically, almost every athlete is arrogant, the popular ones are just better at hiding it. Wade has this skill. In interviews he’ll never say where he thinks he ranks in terms of the best players in the league, even though I’m sure that on the inside he’s not putting anyone ahead of himself. On the other hand, going back to Kanye, he seems to almost take pride in arrogance and outlandish statements; something that does not sit well with the majority of people.

Now I know this article might lead you to believe that I feel a bit negative towards this ‘changed’ Wade, but overall I don’t. Granted, when he first joined the Heat, the humble attitude was a refreshing change, but at the same time, for Wade to be the phenomenal player he is now, supreme confidence is a necessity. If the same confidence that enables him to score 24 points in a fourth quarter also means that his ego sometimes shows up in other situations, then so be it.

Would the younger, quieter Wade scream out “THIS IS MY HOUSE!” to the crowd during that same 24-point fourth quarter? Definitely not. And you know what, that was probably my favorite moment of the season thus far.

I think everyone privately thinks that they are different and that their personality would be immune to money, fame, and praise. I see it the other way. If I were in the same position I don’t doubt for a second that all of it would go to my head. (‘Johnson’ Band-Aids here I come!) I’m sure I’m nowhere near as humble now as Wade was when he was in college, so if this guy ever makes it big, look out.

The bottom line is that as long as the effect of stardom and everything that comes with it is limited to simply inflating an athlete’s ego, but not to the point of creating an alienating arrogance, then all things considered, there are far worse things that can happen to a player. Like getting drafted by the Clippers.