Westerlund: Dwyane Wade Era In Chicago Is Going To Be A Treat
By Cody Westerlund--
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It only took moments to realize how much of a treasure the Dwyane Wade era is going to be in Chicago.
Right on time for his 2 p.m. introductory press conference with the Bulls on Friday, Wade strolled up to the head table alongside general manager Gar Forman. Most of his family and close friends and associates – he calls them "Team Wade" – took a seat in the front row at the crowded Advocate Center, but still missing was his wife, actress Gabrielle Union. As any wise husband would, Wade made a comment about needing to wait for Union make her way to her seat.
"Can't start until my wife gets here – I'll be in trouble," Wade said.
Laughing ensued. A few more moments passed, and the Bulls attempted to start the press conference.
Wade had to interrupt. He was serious about waiting for Union. And so that's what happened, two minutes passing, then Union making her way to her seat to the sound of hundreds of flickering cameras.
"Women, they're always late," Wade said, inciting another chuckle from the audience.
Welcome, everyone, to your new era of Bulls basketball. The Wade experience is upon us.
Whether this all works out for the Bulls on the basketball court – adding a 34-year-old aging star in Wade and hard-headed 30-year-old point guard Rajon Rondo to a team that Forman said needed to get younger and one that lacks shooting – is anyone's guess at this early stage. Even Wade admitted that much Friday.
"There's no expectations right now," Wade said.
"No one knows what their team is going to be. There are predictions out there of what we can be. I don't know how you guys can predict that when you guys have never seen us play together before. We've never seen each other play together before, but we know we have some special talent."
What's clear is that Wade is going to make for a good show – certainly off the court and, the Bulls hope, on it much more often than not. Wade carries himself like a star, a departure from how the MVP and former Bulls point Derrick Rose operated. Rose was neither outspoken nor much for the public eye.
Wade's all about that life. His first public comments after agreeing to sign with the Bulls came on "Live with Kelly." On Wednesday, he took in the Cubs-White Sox game at Wrigley Field. On Thursday, he appeared on stage at Lollapalooza. He just returned from a two-week trip in China to promote his shoe line.
While Wade's no longer a basketball superstar, he's certainly a social media superstar. In recent weeks on his Snapchat account, he's covered a spectrum ranging from explaining how a luggage fight went down on as he boarded his flight back from China to pondering whether he should go a whole day without showering.
In what seemed like a sports first, Wade readily admitted Friday he and Union keep their pulse on media commentary and the social media tone regarding his play, and they're not afraid to speak their minds about it.
"I still have a little bit left, by the way," Wade said. "I've listened to all of you guys talk over the last couple of weeks. I know what you all have been saying."
Wade is more than a good basketball player who used to be great. He's an icon who publicly displays an engaging, endearing personality. The Bulls envision him providing leadership to a locker room that was rarely on the same page last season as they missed the playoffs.
Wade's 12 All-Star appearances, his three championships and his experiences playing with greats like Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James represent basketball equity that draws respect and allows him to lead, to speak his mind, to have his preferences put into action.
"Getting someone like Dwyane and some of the intangibles is huge for this team, and huge for this organization," Forman said.
Make no mistake: Wade's one of the most influential figures in the Bulls organization now. His stature is such that in discussions with Miami, he says he wasn't looking for a pitch or attention from Heat president Pat Riley, who boasts five NBA title rings as a coach, three as an executive and one as a player. While there may be more gray in that black-and-white comment than Wade lets on, it remains telling.
"I sat at the table with the guys who pay the bills, and I knew they wanted me to still be there," Wade said of meeting with Heat ownership in Micky Arison and Nick Arison.
In a savvy move, Wade got out in front of a story Friday, calling the Bulls "Jimmy Butler's team" on the court after initially answering the question by responding, "It's Jerry Reinsdorf's team." Wade knows his basketball politics.
It was navigating those politics and the push-and-pull of playing alongside James with the Heat that have helped define Wade's storied career. Now he wants to start a new chapter, infusing life back into his hometown Bulls.
"The only parallel from that is I've played with in my career other guys that are alphas," Wade said of the James-era Heat and these Bulls. "And you guys heard Rondo allude to that, that we have three alphas. We have three strong personalities. I don't where that's bad.
"We have three leaders and other guys are going to lead in their own ways. That's great for Coach, because now he has leaders on the team that he can really count on and trust and believe coming right in. Right away, you don't have to build it. It's here. So all of it will take time. I don't have answers on how it's going to work."
To the last point? Join the club, D-Wade. Nobody knows how this will play out, just that it's going to be a more entertaining journey than we could've imagined a month ago.
Cody Westerlund is a sports editor for CBSChicago.com and covers the Bulls. He's also the co-host of the @LockedOnBulls podcast, which you can subscribe to on iTunes and Stitcher. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund.
