Did Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh's individual legacies take a hit when they teamed with LeBron James?
At one point in their careers, retired greats Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were considered among the league's top 10 players.
Both were on pace to cementing their place in NBA history while playing for the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors. Then in 2010, LeBron James entered the picture.
When the trio joined forces that summer, it marked the beginning of some labeling Wade and Bosh as sidekicks. After their four seasons together, James was the only one to elevate his status in the eyes of many. James added two MVP trophies to his mantle and a pair of NBA championship. To many, it seemed Wade and Bosh were only along for the ride. During a recent social media post, Wade appeared to take offense to being called James' teammate.
That brings us to ESPN ranking its Top 74 players in league history this week. Few would argue James, now with the Los Angeles Lakers, being chosen No. 2 on the list behind Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan. Wade checked in at No. 26 and Bosh did not even make the cut. Another Heat great, Alonzo Mourning was No. 63 on the list.
The question is this: Would Wade and Bosh have been ranked higher if they never became part of a super team?
Wade was already headed toward a career that would put him in elite company before the Big Three was formed. By then, he had led a team to a championship (2006), won a scoring title in an MVP-caliber season (2009) and was a perennial All-Star. Still, he was ranked lower than Charles Barkley and Kevin Garnett, whose statistics and team accomplishments were comparable to Wade's production in the pre-LeBron years.
If not for four seasons playing alongside James, Wade would have surely put up numbers to elevate him in the minds of most. The same goes for Bosh, who was a four-time All-Star and earned All-NBA second team before arriving in Miami. Both players would tell you winning championships meant more even if it cost them on the mythical player rankings circuit.
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