NBA legend Dwyane Wade is known as one of the best shooting guards in NBA history. During his remarkable career, Wade was nicknamed ‘The Flash’ for his quickness and skill and was just as efficient on defense as he was on offense.
Wade won three NBA championships with the Miami Heat during his 16-year career, winning his first title in his third season alongside NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, and two straight titles alongside his legendary teammate LeBron James. Wade won the NBA Finals MVP award in 2006, won an Olympic Gold medal with the 2008 “Redeem Team” and was a 13-time NBA All-Star. Though Wade isn’t in the NBA Hall of Fame (yet), his jersey was retired by the Miami Heat on February 22, 2020.
Dwyane Wade’s life off the court is just as interesting as his life on it, made that way by his children who grew up watching their father’s illustrious career. Who are Wade kids? Here are five questions and answers about Dwyane Wade’s children.
1. How many kids does Dwyane Wade have?
Dwyane Wade has four kids with three different women. They are: 18-year old Zaire, 12-year-old Zaya, 6-year-old Xavier and 1-year-old Kaavia Wade. Wade is also recognized as the legal guardian of his 18-year-old nephew Dahveon Morris, the son of Wade’s sister Deanna Morris.
2. Who is Zaire Wade?
Zaire Wade is the first child that Dwyane Wade and his ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches had together. Zaire Wade follows in his father’s footsteps and plays basketball. A high school senior, Zaire played basketball for Sierra Canyon High School in California, but recently he decided to transfer to Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, choosing to reclassify and play a season for Brewster Academy before heading to college.
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3. Who is Zaya Wade?
Zaya Wade is the second child Dwyane Wade had with his ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches. Originally born as Zion, Zaya came out as a transgender girl around February 2020, changing her name from Zion to Zaya and referring to herself with pronouns like ‘she’ and ‘her’ rather than ‘he’ or ‘him’. Wade and his wife Gabrielle Union, who have defended Zaya’s sexuality in the past, have been very supportive of Zaya since and sought to learn more. “We’re just trying to figure out as much information as we can to make sure that we give our child the best opportunity to be, you know, her best self,” says Wade.
4. How many kids does he have with wife Gabrielle Union?
Dwyane Wade and his current wife, actress Gabrielle Union share their 1-year-old daughter Kaavia Wade together.
5. Why do people refer to Dwyane Wade’s third child as a ‘break-up baby’?
Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union first started dating in 2008 and briefly broke up in 2013 before they reconciled later in the year and married in 2014. During their time apart, Dwyane fathered his third child Xavier Wade with his longtime friend, reality television star Aja Metoyer, which is why people call Xavier a ‘break-up baby.’ In his documentary, D. Wade: Life Unexpected, Wade addressed that trying time in his and Union’s relationship, saying: “Hardest thing I’ve ever had to do is man up and tell Gabrielle Union that I’ve had a child with somebody else.” Despite that, Wade loves young Xavier all the same. “I had a time, a part in our break, in our pain and our hurt, a blessing came out of it in my life, having a son that was born healthy,” says Wade.
