Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union posing together


Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

Former Miami Heat superstar Dwyane Wade got destroyed online after wishing one of his children a happy birthday this week.

Zaya Wade turned 17 on Wednesday, and the three-time NBA champion took to Instagram to deliver birthday wishes.

Zaya, a transgender, has been the subject of lots of criticism over the years. However, it’s the older Wade who’s been catching heat for facilitating the change.

D-Wade posted some photos of Zaya to IG this week, captioning them “Seventeen🎉 @zayawade.”

Check it out below:

While some fans loved the post, plenty of other did not.

“d wade was my favorite player on the heat for as long as i can remember but i lost all respect for you now,” a user wrote.

“That’s a young man Wade come on,” another fan said.

“Aye gang! I just unfollowed you! Be easy!” said another.

Someone commented, “We gotta stop normalizing this stuff.”

“D Wade I used to respect you,” said another.

“What kind of dad would do this to his kid,” another user wondered.

“The real bravery is leaving the comments on,” one joked.

Dwyane Wade Is Doing His Part For The Transgender Community

Dwyane and Zaya recently launched an online community branded “Translatable” to support the transgender community. The platform is described as a “safe space for LGBTQIA+ youth to express themselves” and a “resource hub for their parents, families, and support systems.”

Dwyane Wade spent15 years with the Heat and also played short stints with the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers. He won all three of his titles in Miami and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2023.

Since retiring, he has acquired ownership stakes in the Utah Jazz and the Chicago Sky.