Feb 24, 2011; Chicago, IL, USA; Miami Heat players Chris Bosh (1) and LeBron James (6) and Dwyane Wade (3) during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. The Bulls won 93-89. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-Imagn Images Jerry Lai-Imagn Images

Dwyane Wade Recounts How Miami Heat Big Three Almost Didn't Happen

Originally posted on Miami Heat on SI | By Alex Toledo | Last updated May 27, 2025 8:51 AM ET

It's been 15 years since the Miami Heat put together the renowned Big Three of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh, blazing the path for an era of superstars taking control of their careers.

In an interview with Pardon My Take, Wade made clear the trio was far from a done deal when the summer of 2010 began.

"I think it was a moment where all of us was like, we probably wavered in our thought of like, 'Man, this looks good for me', even though we had a conversation about playing together," Wade said. "And people think it was like two years before. It was not."

Dwyane Wade explains how the Big 3 really came together

Chris Bosh wavered a few times on joining up

Group didn’t discuss teaming up until that summer despite rumors of 08 Olympics being the start of the idea

Amare/Boozer were potential Bosh replacements

(Via @PardonMyTake) pic.twitter.com/LHSVTVa5NV
— Heat Culture (@HeatCulture13) May 26, 2025

"Once Chris Bosh got a chance to come out here, everybody was like throwing flowers at his feet. He wavered a couple times, we didn't know if he was going to be a part of the opportunity for us to play together, and I think the Heat did a great job of keeping, once again, their cards close to their chest," Wade said. "Because we knew going into that summer that each team that was in position can get two star players, that everyone wanted two star players. And then [the Heat] came out of nowhere was like, hey, we can get three. And so I think it changed something for us."

All three were free agents at the time. So were All-Stars like Amar'e Stoudemire, Joe Johnson, Carlos Boozer, Dirk Nowitzki and Rudy Gay. Although the Heat had the most cap space, nothing was certain.

"We all had a conversation about it and, you know, we realized we would like to play together, but at the same time, but go off and do what you need to do," Wade said. "Go have these interviews with these teams and if something changes, then let's come back to the table. So it wasn't a hundred percent, but it was a conversation that we had going into that free agency like, 'Hey, we would all love to play together., you know, and this and that. And then, but also too, you got to go off and you got to see what's, what's best for you. But ultimately we would love to play together," Wade said. "And it was times where like, you know, we, me and Bron get on the phone, like, 'I think Chris, I don't know if Chris going, I don't know if he going.' The Knicks telling him everything, the Bulls telling him everything he wanna hear. I don't know if he's gonna play in Miami and also with Bron too, I didn't know because I'm not in his meetings, right? And with me, when I came to Chicago and I got a chance to go in there and grab that Chicago Bulls jersey, I was back at home in the mirror, you know what I mean? Like I went back to that kid from Chicago."