:::: HANDLE ISSUE 010 COVER STORY: Dwyane Wade FEATURES: NBA Allstar Spotlight, Andrew Bogut, Sam Mackinnon, CJ Bruton, Dave Thomas PLUS: 10 NCAA players to watch, Illerson's feeling blue, signature series kicks and more!

DWYANE WADE: EDITORIAL

The icons that currently dominated North American sports are not clear cut masters of their art. NFL quarterback Peyton Manning still has his doubters and MLB outfielder Barry Bonds, his haters. In fact, aside from golfer PGA’s Tiger Woods and the APT’s Roger Federer, there are no masters to speak of. It seems that no person or team is on a higher plane – until the 2005/06 season.

Nice guys don’t usually finish first. They don’t usually hold up the trophy and celebrate at the end of a season. They rarely stand tall and proud in the spotlight, while more image-savvy competitors’ personal goals remain unfulfilled, but Dwyane Wade took exception to the cliché last season, and cemented his place as one of the modern giants of the game.

In a year that witnessed LeBron James’ popularity reach unprecedented heights; Kobe Bryant’s 63 against the Mavs in three quarters and 81 against the Raptors in four; the rebirth of the true point guard with Rookie of the Year Chris Paul and regular season MVP Steve Nash’s repeat; Dwyane Wade’s finals feat against Dirk and Dallas to win the NBA Championship, the Finals MVP, and the respect of the entire global basketball fraternity was as timeless as performances as basketball has had in recent memory.

Dwyane Wade probably isn’t supposed to be the player he is. He shouldn’t be this popular but was he always destined for this greatness? Coming through the ranks, Wade wasn’t supposed to receive these comparisons to Jordan, and he certainly wasn’t supposed to exceed his ‘03 classmates – at least not this early in his career.

So, how has the modest, humble, honest superstar won us all over? His relentless hunger, fundamental skill set and drive can not be matched. If you’ve ever wondered who Dwyane Wade really is, the answer is simple – Wade is a winner, and will be time and time again – just like that other guy who played in Chicago, who Wade watched, time and time again.

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