Watch: Wade prioritized his happiness, felt time was up in Miami
It likely won't hit a majority of NBA fans that Dwyane Wade is no longer a member of the Miami Heat until he takes the floor at the United Center wearing the signature red and white of the Chicago Bulls.
Even the three-time NBA champion thought he was going to representing the Heat for the rest of his career, but as he told ESPN's Cari Champion in an interview which aired on Sunday, being happy and taking control of his destiny was ultimately more important to him.
"I had to focus on my happiness, and I didn't feel that my happiness was going to be returning," Wade said. "I thought my time was up. And it's like, 'Oh, but I can't see you in another jersey. You're supposed to be one player to always want to wear one jersey.' I wanted to be that. I did.
"My time, the clock ticked out on me. And whether they felt it, whether they wanted to do it, I did. And I respectfully walk away saying I tip my hat to their organization and to the city for embracing me and giving me the platform to be great. And I did that. I was great. It will always be there. But I've got more things to do."
After 13 seasons in South Beach and failed negotiations with Heat management, Wade elected to take his talents to the Windy City on a new two-year, $47.5-million contract to join his hometown Bulls. He was clearly hurt by the fact that team president Pat Riley didn't interject himself more in the process and show through his actions that he wanted Wade to remain with the organization.
Nonetheless, the 12-time All-Star holds no ill feelings towards the man who selected him fifth overall in 2003.
Related: Riley 'floored' by Wade's decision to leave Heat: 'We will miss him'
"I respect Pat Riley to the fullest for what he's done in this game, you know, drafting me, when a lot of people didn't believe I was going to be as great as I've become," Wade said. "But in this situation, we all have choices. So we choose not to put ourselves in the situation. He wasn't the sole reason I left at all, but it was his choice."
- with h/t to the Sun Sentinal's Ira Winderman