794: Dwyane Wade's Last Chance

Tennessee, Memphis.

This was a city that had been utterly unfamiliar to Wade throughout the first nine years of his career.

Back then, the Heat only played a handful of games in Memphis each season. After all, once the playoffs began, there was no possibility of the two teams meeting again.

So in Wade's eyes, the Grizzlies had never carried much weight. They had no presence in the regular season, and in the playoffs, they simply did not exist.

But ever since last year, everything had changed.

That team that had once carried no weight had finally reached the Finals after suffering two straight conference finals losses, and they had laughed last. That team that had once carried no weight had already hung several banners of honor beneath their arena's dome.

That team that had once carried no weight now possessed the strongest star in the league...

Wade shook his head as he admired Memphis's nightscape through the hotel's floor-to-ceiling windows. Times really had changed.

Wade knew full well that if the Heat lost again this year, his championship dream might end there.

Before James came along, Wade had already won a championship trophy. But without question, one was not enough. As one of the most famous players from the Class of 2003, Wade did not want to spend his entire life living in the summer of 2006.

He craved more championships, and he craved the regular-season Most Valuable Player Award. Yes, the regular-season MVP. Many people might not believe it, but Wade had never once touched that honor.

But after James arrived in Miami, Wade was destined to have no chance at the regular-season MVP. After all, James's arrival meant the ball would be shared, and he could no longer put up MVP-level numbers.

But none of that mattered