Jazz G League Affiliate Stars Draft Zaire Wade
Oct 23, 2021, 11:50 AM
Utah Jazz part owner Dwyane Wade with son Zaire Wade (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Salt Lake City Stars selected Zaire Wade, son of NBA legend and Utah Jazz part-owner Dwayne Wade in the 2021 G League Draft.
The younger Wade was selected with the Stars 10th pick in the first round of the draft.
The Stars as the Jazz G League affiliate and split their home games between Vivint Arena and Bruins Arena at the Salt Lake City Community College.
With the 10th overall pick in the @nbagleague Draft. The Salt Lake City Stars select Zaire Wade!!!
Welcome to SLC!! @zairewade21 pic.twitter.com/UKQoyzIMoY
— Salt Lake City Stars (@slcstars) October 23, 2021
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that Wade, a high school senior was opting to take the pro route rather than play college basketball.
“Zaire Wade, the son of Dwyane Wade, is signing a contract in the NBA G League and is expected to join the Utah Jazz affiliate Salt Lake City Stars, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium,” Charania tweeted. “Dwyane Wade is a part-owner of the Jazz.”
A three-star guard, the 6-foot-3, 170-pound Wade had scholarship offers to Rhode Island, Nebraska, Depaul, South Carolina, and Toledo prior to entering the G League Draft.
Players who have finished their high school careers can bypass college by signing a G League contract and entering the entry draft.
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By skipping college and directly entering the G League Draft, Wade is ineligible to play in the NBA this season. Players must be one year removed from high school before they can sign any type of contract with an NBA roster.
The Stars will begin their 2021-22 season on November 5 against the Oklahoma City Blue in Oklahoma. The regular season will conclude on April 2 against the Stockton Kings in Salt Lake City.
Returning to a more traditional schedule, the season will feature 50 games, 24 of which will be played between Bruin Arena and Vivint Arena in Utah. The Stars home opener will be held on November 17 against the Santa Cruz Warriors.
In April, it was announced that Dwyane had purchased a minority share of the Jazz and has been an active participant at the team’s games and practice since.
