The lovefest between former teammates Dwyane Wade and LeBron James is slightly offputting to some in the NBA, and Heat president Pat Riley is reportedly one of them.
ESPN’s Pablo S. Torre profiled the pair’s relationship, in which one mutual friend says the pair are “like twins.” Even Wade’s wife, Gabrielle Union, admitted that James probably knows her husband better than she does. This closeness has been ridiculed by some, and according to Torre, Riley “quietly detests” the friendship the two share.
Riley is as old-school as they come. Torre noted that when he coached the Heat, he levied a fine of $1,500 against any player who helped an opponent up. It’s no surprise that fraternizing between two on-court rivals would bug him.
Riley isn’t the only one who harbors some displeasure about James and Wade’s relationship. Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley had their say on it after the pair worked out together during the season. The fact is, everyone who doesn’t like it will just have to get used to the elaborate handshakes and the notions of superteams. The two players are extremely close, and being on different teams won’t change that.
