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Zaire Wade officially drafted by Salt Lake City Stars — to much Wade family rejoicing

Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade, right, speaks as his son Zaire, left, looks on during a ceremony honoring Wade who is playing his final home regular season game when the Heat host the Philadelphia 76ers, Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Miami. Wade is retiring at the end of the season. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

  | Oct. 23, 2021, 8:15 p.m.

Zaire Wade, the 19-year-old son of Jazz part-owner Dwyane Wade, was drafted by the Salt Lake City Stars in the NBA G League’s draft on Saturday morning.

The selection officially ended a convoluted process that brought Wade to the Stars. Players aren’t allowed to sign directly with G League teams, but instead the league as a whole, after which they go through the G League draft. So in order for Wade to end up with his preferred team, he had to be drafted by Salt Lake City.

So it’s fair to say that Zaire and the Wade family expected his selection at No. 10 — but that didn’t make the celebrations any less joyous.

Wade moved around during his high school career, playing at Sierra Canyon next to LeBron James’ son, then going to Brewster Academy, where Donovan Mitchell also spent time in high school. Wade, the 296th-ranked high school prospect according to 247Sports, was recruited by UC Santa Barbara, DePaul, Nebraska, Rhode Island, TCU, South Carolina and Toledo, but decided not to go to college. Instead, he’ll use the G League as the first step in his professional basketball career.

Because he’s still eligible for the NBA draft, though, Wade isn’t allowed to be a call-up for the Jazz. Instead, he will remain with the G League Salt Lake City Stars and develop his game at the minor-league level, in a bid to impress NBA teams by next year’s draft.

The Stars also drafted Bellarmine guard Pedro Bradshaw with the No. 10 selection in the second round of the draft, and Binghamton guard J.C. Show with the same selection in the third round. They are expected to fight for roster spots on the team in training camp.

Other notable selections in Saturday’s G League draft include:

• Former NBA guard Brandon Knight going No. 6 to Sioux Falls (Miami’s G League affiliate)

• Former NBA guard Lance Stephenson going No. 13 to Grand Rapids (Denver’s G League affiliate)

• Brother of NBA guards LaMelo and Lonzo Ball, LiAngelo Ball, going No. 14 to Greensboro (Charlotte’s G League affiliate)

• BYU alum T.J. Haws going No. 15 to Lakeland (Orlando’s G League affiliate)

As a G League draftee, Wade will make $37,000 next season with the Stars.