After the draft

With the need for a point guard or center, they obviously went for the most mature player in Wade. Very active and athletic player who seems to play at another speed. His quickness and decision making are excellent, and he has great desire. His size is a detriment, but his athleticism and long arms help make up for it.

Heat coach Pat Riley was ecstatic to have landed Dwyane Wade, who sat in the Green Room waiting to hear his name called with his son, Zaire, on his lap.

"We feel like we have one of the best players in the draft, if not the best. He is one of the most mature guys that I have ever met and he is from a great college program. What I was most impressed by when I really studied him, is his explosiveness and ability to get to the rim and score."

".. I think this is one of the players in the draft, a perimeter player, probably the only perimeter player of his size, other than James, that can play the point guard position. How we plan on playing in the future is playing bigger and longer. Here is a guy that's 6-4. He's got a plus-6-inch wingspan. He's real long and athletic and we are planning on using him at that spot." "Not only can he defend, but he's a defensive player who can score and rebound. He's an absolutely complete player who can get better. We are absolutely excited with this pick."

Toronto Raptors general manager Glen Grunwald stated: "He's going to bring a lot of people out of their seats at NBA arenas, He's exciting. He's very athletic."

Dwyane Wade stated in the pre-draft that he didn't know which team would draft him and didn't really care, that he had no preference where he played next season. But he certainly looked comfortable wearing a Miami Heat cap.

Wade was asked if he thought he could handle playing for Riley, one of the most demanding coaches in the league. "I just got coached by one of the toughest coaches in college basketball," Wade said, referring to Marquette's Tom Crean. "I think I can go through it with one of the greatest coaches in Pat Riley."

"It's a dream come true," Wade said. "I'm blessed. Hard work pays off. I learned that at Marquette."

"I've been in the cold all my life," said Wade, a native of Chicago, when asked on how he felt moving to a warmer climate:. "It's going to feel great to put on some shorts once in a while."