Inside The Heat

Dwyane Wade: The Most Clutch Player in NBA History?

Dwyane Wade is a Heat legend, but also an all-time great
Austin Dobbins|
Feb 3, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Former Miami Heat players Shaquille O'Neal (L), Dwayne Wade (C) and Udonis Haslem (R) react during a ceremony to honor 20 years since they won their first NBA Championship during halftime at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
Feb 3, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Former Miami Heat players Shaquille O'Neal (L), Dwayne Wade (C) and Udonis Haslem (R) react during a ceremony to honor 20 years since they won their first NBA Championship during halftime at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

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Miami Heat

The cool thing about being a legend is that it's true, you never die. For the rest of eternity you live on, in stat books, conversations, and the history of your craft. For Dwyane Wade, it's his role in helping lead the Heat to their first Championship, his current role with Prime Video, and his co-ownership of the Utah Jazz.

But the basketball court, that's where he created his legendary status, that's where he became the face of a franchise, changing record books, and forever leaving his mark.

And his name was brought up again recently by his former head coach, who had this to say in regard to Dwyane Wade:

“Because he had such a great sense of the clock too. He always had that sense and he could get a good shot. And people will argue with me and talk about Kobe and Michael Jordan, and all that, obviously great players, nothing negative to say about any of them, but I would still stick to it. I’ll take Dwyane Wade at the end of the game over anyone who’s ever played.”
Stan Van Gundy

Now sure, Stan Van Gundy could pick Wade because he coached him, but there is also numbers to back up his claim.

Beyond the numbers you go to the eye test, and the overall consistency throughout Wade's illustrious career.

You start in the 2006 Finals when at just 24 years old Dwyane Wade put an entire team on his back, averaging 34.7/7.8/3.8 on 46.8% while bringing in almost three steals and a block per game.

Then you go down the line, each and every playoff he was in leading the Heat, rather as the star, and the offensive focal point, or even adjusting in his later years to being the co-star, and playing defense at a higher level, he's done it all, especially in the clutch. Chase down blocks, game winners, go ahead shots, isolations late in games, name it, Wade has done it.

In 2007, Wade averaged 6 points per clutch contest which is good for second in NBA history behind only Russel Westbrook in 2017.

Wade doesn't have the most game winners, that belongs to Kobe and Jordan, who most would take for the last shot. But Stan Van Gundy, although biased, has a case with his former player. Wade is top 10 in the category with five career buzzer beaters and finished his career with 18 game winners.

While he doesn't have the most "game winners" he does have the best clutch stats, and did so as an elite two-way force in the Jordan "mold" of a shooting guard.

Who would you take with the last shot?

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Austin Dobbins
AUSTIN DOBBINS

Austin also writes for the Five Reasons Sports Network, covering all South Florida sports. As a current athlete, Austin specializes in in-depth analysis, player profiles, combining on-field knowledge with strong storytelling to cover football, basketball, and beyond. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Business Management at Webber International University. Twitter: @austindobbins13

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