Pat Riley Chooses Between LeBron, Dwyane Wade As Miami Heat’s Greatest Player

LeBron James left the Cleveland Browns to join the Miami Heat in 2010. It was a controversial decision and the king of basketball announced it publicly. Cleveland fans were angry and frustrated. It was like Cleveland burned all bridges leading to LeBron. The four-time NBA champion took his talent to Miami. Was it a good decision? Yes. LeBron won two titles as a Miami player, but Pat Riley still says Dwayne Wade is the Heat legend.

Wade won three rings with the Heat. He shared the floor with Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron, and Chris Bosh. It was a wild 13-year ride and Wade got the best of it.

LeBron spent just four seasons with the Heat. It was a good stint with the team and LeBron earned two rings and two MVP awards. Well, Riley still insists that Wade is the best Heat player in franchise history.

“You can argue whether or not LeBron or Dwyane were better as a Heat player, but Dwyane is the greatest player ever who put on a uniform with us,” the Heat president of basketball operations said during a conference call with the media. “LeBron was here for four years and gave us a tremendous lift and helped Dwyane achieve what he wanted to achieve.

“But Dwyane is the greatest player that ever played for the Heat. And that’s not an insult to LeBron. That’s because of his longevity and the short term LeBron was here.”

Pat Riley talks about the differences between Wade and Bron as players in Heat history:

"Dwyane is the greatest player that ever played for the Heat, and that's not an insult to LeBron."

— Brady Hawk (@BradyHawk305) August 8, 2023

LeBron won a title after leaving Wade and Miami

King James left the Heat to join the Cavaliers and won a ring with his hometown team in 2016. Going back sort of fixed the damage, but LeBron left the Cavs again. They weren’t too angry because he helped them win the first title in franchise history.

King James is a Laker now. He is the greatest basketball player of all time and he enjoys his GOAT status. LeBron and the Lakers were close to making the NBA Finals last season. They couldn’t get past the Denver Nuggets, but it was a good sign that the Lakers will win another title sooner or later.