Dwyane Wade Joins Ownership Group for Utah Jazz Team

Former NBA Dwyane Wade, 39, was recently announced as the newest member of the Utah Jazz ownership group, which is led by Ryan Smith, a technology entrepreneur who acquired majority ownership in 2020.

“Dwyane is not only a basketball legend, he is also a great leader, businessman, and human being,” Smith said in a statement.

”As we continue to build on the incredible legacy of the Utah Jazz franchise, we are excited to add Dwyane’s experience and expertise to the equation. Utah is an amazing place and I couldn’t be more thrilled about the future of the franchise and the future of this state. Dwyane’s influence will be important to both.”

Wade, who retired back in 2019, was originally interested in having ownership in the Miami Heat team. Unfortunately, no agreement came from ongoing conversations.

“Partnering with Ryan and the Utah Jazz is the perfect fit as we share the same vision and values,” Wade said. “Not only is this group focused on building a championship franchise, they are also committed to using their platform to do good and actively create a more inclusive, equitable world. We share a lot of the same goals and are trying to go the same places in life.”

Considered a basketball legend, Wade played in the NBA for 16 seasons spending periods of his career with the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Chicago Bulls. He played with the Heat from 2003-2016 and returned before retiring 2018-2019.

“I want to congratulate Dwyane on his recent announcement,” said Heat managing general partner Micky Arison. “We had discussed having him join our ownership group after his retirement but he was not prepared to commit at the time. Of course, I am disappointed that he didn’t reconsider.

“Having said that I wish him good luck and much success with the Jazz. To me, Dwyane will always be a Heat lifer.”