Beal reveals his No. 3 is tribute to Wade
It was a surreal moment for Bradley Beal Friday night at American Airlines Arena when the Washington Wizards guard exchanged his jersey with that of Dwyane Wade, who will be calling it a career at the end of his 16th season.
Beal grew up admiring the Miami Heat All-Star, so when the opportunity presented itself, the 25-year-old revealed to Wade that the No. 3 he dons is actually a tribute to his idol.
"I tried not to lose my mind when he first gave it to me because that's unbelievable," Beal said of the swap following Washington's 115-109 road loss, according to the Associated Press. "I'm trying not to be a fan, but I am a fan, and I am a huge fan of his game. I try to predicate a little bit of my game off of his. This is probably the first time I'm actually saying that, but he's a legend forever."
Beal led all scorers with 33 points on 25 shots, adding nine rebounds and seven assists in 40 minutes of action. Wade, meanwhile, came off the bench for Miami to drop 14 points and six dimes as the Heat improved to 19-18.
"He's one of the best to ever do it, and he's not cocky with it," Beal added of Wade. "He does it in a humble way, and he's still able to do what he does at this age, and it's amazing. Everything he's been through, people talk about him, but he's still here. He's still competing with the best of us, and I have nothing but respect for him, his game, his legacy that he left."
The Wizards will have to wait to get another crack at Miami when the Heat visit Capital One Arena on March 23.