For the first time in its seven years of existence, Dwyane Wade agreed to pose nude for ESPN Magazine Body Issue. Good-bye insecurities and hello nekkid basketball body. Get his cover and a few things you never knew inside...
Well look who's taking it all off. His wife Gabrielle Union has stripped down to nothing a time or two herself, so now it's Mr. Wade's turn. But it wasn't as easy as it seems it would be for a perfectly lean and ripped athlete.
"It's bigger than me showing my body off," Wade says. "That's not as important to me as telling a story of overcoming a fear. It hopefully gives someone confidence to really be their authentic self."
The Miami Heat baller said when he turned 30, he became much more confident in his body. He has an underwear line called Naked for goodness sake. It was meant to be.
Now that he's 34, things ain't what they used to be like when he was 24 (according to him.) The good side about getting older -- he's way more aware of what to put in his body to achieve the optimal performance. Oh, and in the BTD video, he dishes on his regular luxe mani pedis (it involves black nail polish).
Here's a few quotes:
On his insecurity about being naked
"I had a fear of being naked in front of others and a fear of being judged. So to me, overcoming that is the biggest thing. Someone may look at me and think, "Why would you have insecurity?" Well, this is real life and I'm human, and these are the things that I deal with that many others might deal with."
On weight issues and wanting to just eat a damn burger
"I can put on a few pounds pretty fast. I love to eat. I'm one of those guys who's low-key, but I'm a fat boy at heart, man, when I'm eating. To me that's kind of like my happy place: a great burger, fries and a soda."
On blocking out the noise of critics
"I have the ability to block things out. I've always been able to focus on the task at hand and not let something else bother me. Even when I'm in an arena and they are booing the heck out of me, I don't focus on them booing me, I'm focused on that possession."
On getting older in the NBA
"I'd say I probably felt like I was 28 this season. There were times when I did certain things and was like, "Man! That was like young me!""
Check out the BTS video HERE.
About those insecurities, the 6'4, 218 pound baller says he's had them since he was a kid and was scared to go shirtless in front of girls because of his big belly button, and he didn't want to get laughed at.
Need more? No worries. There's 18 more nekkid athletes showing off their works of art -- their bodies -- in the upcoming issue, out on newsstands July 6th.
Photo Credit: Carlos Serrao for ESPN the Magazine
