WNBA Playoffs Upset Forgotten As Dwyane Wade Hypes Up 32YO Star’s Unrivaled Domination

Would you cheer for an athlete who once crushed your team’s championship aspirations? That’s exactly what Chelsea Gray did to Dwyane Wade’s Chicago Sky in Round 1 of the 2023 WNBA playoffs. Gray of the Las Vegas Aces had scored 20 crucial points in Game 1, leading her team to a 1-0 lead in the series. An advantage that Aces cashed upon to oust Sky from the 2023 championship run. But that major upset has not stopped D-Wade from giving credit where it’s due: Chelsea Gray.

If you are caught up with the Unrivaled playoffs, you’d know of Gray’s recent 39-point domination. Not only was Dwyane Wade on the courtside to soak it all in, but he was also quick to praise the 32-year-old WNBA star in a social media shoutout. “Point GAWD,” Wade wrote in his IG story, sharing a post by Unrivaled Basketball that hyped up Gray.

But if you think this was it from the Miami Heat legend, you haven’t swiped through his IG stories, right? In another upload, The Flash wrote, “Let’s go home,” further cheering the 3x WNBA champ. For those who missed it, here’s how it all went down:

Gray’s team, Rose, found themselves trailing Laces BC by 13 points at halftime. With Angel Reese out, they needed someone to step up, and Gray answered the call in the biggest way possible. She single-handedly led a 21-0 scoring run, nailed the game-winner, and finished with a jaw-dropping 39 points. That clutch performance has now sent Rose to the championship game, where they’ll face Vinyl. The team that just knocked out No. 1 seed Lunar Owls.

Gray had already made a statement by dropping 33 points to close out the regular season, but this? This was next-level. Maybe missing out on the MVP award—claimed by Napheesa Collier of the Lunar Owls—gave her extra motivation. Whatever the reason, she put on one of the best shows Unrivaled has seen so far. And Dwyane Wade is all cheers for her. However, it seems that The Flash could be in a fix now since his loyalties might be divided.

Prior to his recent praise for Chelsea Gray, Wade had some valuable input for Vinyl BC for their own semi-final clash against Lunar Owls.

Dwyane Wade’s pep talk to the Vinyl BC worked its charm

When D-Wade talks basketball, you listen. And that’s exactly what Vinyl BC did ahead of their semifinal clash against the Owls. A team that had dropped just one game all tournament. Walking into their practice session, Wade knew the weight of the moment—Vinyl BC was stepping into its first-ever semifinals as clear underdogs. But if there’s one thing the Miami Heat legend understands, it’s how to play with confidence, no matter who’s on the other side.

Wade shared his own experiences of being an underdog, reminding the team that belief in their game plan was just as crucial as execution.

“We underdogs, obviously right?” Wade said in a clip posted by Chris Johnson on Instagram. “How do we go out with confidence in our game plan? It doesn’t matter if we’re underdogs. We’re just looking at the one in front of us and the confidence comes from the work.”

The Heat icon also pointed out how the 3-on-3 format of the tournament required even more effort than a traditional 5-on-5 game. And sure enough, that extra push made all the difference. When it was time to take the court, Vinyl BC delivered, edging out the Owls in a hard-fought 73-70 victory.

Now, it’d be interesting if Dwyane Wade would be cheering for Vinyl or hyping up Chelseas Gray during the Unrivaled Finals.