Zaire Wade, son of former NBA star Dwyane Wade, is ready to go pro. It’s just been announced that the 19-year-old baller is bypassing college to sign a G League contract and is expected to play for the Salt Lake City Stars, an affiliate team of the NBA’s Utah Jazz.

Shams Charania, senior lead NBA writer at Stadium and The Atlantic broke the news on Twitter. His tweet also confirmed that Dwyane Wade is a part-owner of the Jazz.

According to Bleacher Report, Zaire was a 3-star recruit while playing high school basketball at Sierra Canyon in California. He went on to transfer to Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, in 2020. Wade decided to go pro, despite the young player receiving scholarship offers from Toledo, South Carolina, Nebraska and Rhode Island.

The 6-foot-three teen has received quite a bit of criticism online from those who felt he was taking advantage of his father owning the Jazz team and robbing a more deserving athlete of a shot. 

“Hi guys, my dad owns the team and that’s why I’m here to take playing time from the rest of you that have earned it through merit,” one critic wrote.

“Taking away a spot from somebody who’s grinding and truly deserves it, this ain’t right tbh,” said another.

Wade’s peers and other athletes, however, have come out to publicly support his decision.

“We love to see it,” tweeted Utah Jazz shooting guard, Donovan Mitchell.

LeBron “Bronny” James Jr. shared his support of his friend and former Sierra Canyon teammate on Instagram by reposting the headline in his Stories with the caption: “Yeaaa Z.”

Wade has big sneakers to fill as he follows the legacy his father left behind. Playing in the G League will be the perfect opportunity for him to prove that he has what it takes to make it in the NBA. 

“I’m out here bein’ everything they said I wouldn’t be or couldn’t be,” Zaire said in a tweet, seemingly shutting down his haters. 

The 2021–22 season starts on Nov. 19. Best of luck to the young star. 

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