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Oct 28, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Former Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade is honored with 'Dwayne Wade Blvd' at halftime during a game against the Detroit Pistons at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade Receives Shocking Placement Among Best Players

Originally posted on Miami Heat on SI | By Bryan Townes | Last updated Aug 26, 2025 9:15 AM ET

After becoming the most decorated and accomplished player for the Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade solidified himself among the greatest players in NBA history.

Following 25 years of NBA basketball, CBS Sports gave its rankings for the top 25 players of this century. However, Wade just missed out on being among the top 10 on their list.

“Prime Dwyane Wade was the closest thing to Kobe Bryant,” the article wrote. “Wade was probably the better athlete. The skills -- particularly the footwork and array of shotmaking -- were highly comparable. He was unstoppable the year he won the scoring title (2009) on a team without one other player the defense was concerned about. Stan Van Gundy never trusted young players, but he put the ball in Wade's hands as a rookie for a game-winning shot in the playoffs and he delivered. And he never stopped over a 16-year career that saw him win three championships (one as the No. 1 guy in just his third season) and finish in the top 10 of MVP voting seven times.”

Outside of five players within the top 10 of their list, Wade finished his career with more championships than the rest. His inability to win an MVP seems to be one of the primary reasons he was ranked No. 11, as everyone above him at least has one on their resume. His third-place vote for the award in 2009 was his best chance to win it.

UDONIS HASLEM PREVIEWS WHY MIAMI HEAT ARE HIS MUST-WATCH TEAM NEXT YEAR

After being among the bottom of the league offensively and within the top 10 defensively for the last three seasons, the Miami Heat’s successful offseason may lead to a much more balanced production on both ends of the court.

On NBA Today, Heat legend Udonis Haslem breaks down why the Heat are his must-watch team in the league. While they can still improve the roster in other ways, the addition of Norman Powell may be the missing piece to elevate their offense and take pressure off Tyler Herro.

Udonis Haslem picks the Miami HEAT as his League Pass team to watch this season:

“They’ve struggled scoring, but always been top-5-10 defensively. Now you add Norman Powell, Tyler Herro, Bam on both ends, Wiggins, and Terry Rozier… that’s five guys who can give you 20 on any… pic.twitter.com/jxbipFfpLn
— Heat Diehards (@HeatDiehards) August 16, 2025

“This is a team where these guys have struggled scoring, but they have been in the top five or top 10 defensively every year,” Haslem explained. “This is a situation where you bring in a guy who can put the ball in the hole in Norman Powell. You have a guy in Tyler Herro, a former Sixth Man of the Year, who can put up a dub in his sleep.”

Beyond Powell and Herro, Haslem explains why depth will be another huge factor in the Heat’s success and hints at a possible resurgence from Terry Rozier.

“You have Bam Adebayo, who can play both sides of the basketball court,” Haslem continued. “You get Pelle Larsson coming back with some experience after last year. You also have Wiggins getting a year under his belt. I understand Terry Rozier did not have a great season since he’s been in Miami, but this is a guy who’s also able to wake up in the morning and put a dub on you real quick.”