Dwyane Wade plays pick-up ball in shirt and tie in NYC (VIDEO)
The contemporary NBA superstar seeks to strike a delicate balance between appealing to the everyday NBA fan and the corporate world that helps him become a global icon. On the surface, and often in practice, the two spheres aren't especially related. Basketball fans who play regular pickup games might have office jobs, but they don't approach basketball as a corporate interest. For players to appeal to both groups, they often have to walk in both worlds at once.
Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade understands this issue, and he dealt with it pretty much perfectly during this week's trip to New York City to face the Knicks and Nets. While in SoHo to hit up a premium sock shop, Wade walked onto a basketball court across the street and started playing with a few strangers on the court (at least one of whom wore skinny jeans, natch). And most every NBA player would stand out on a random court in SoHo, Wade looked particularly out of place in a shirt and tie.
Wade's just a tad better than your usual pickup player, so he fared pretty well even in unsuitable apparel. Just don't be surprised if he shows up on an NBA court wearing this kind of uniform in the future. With players conceiving of themselves as brands more and more, it's bound to happen at some point.
(via SportsGrid)
