Wade pigs out when it comes to sneaker tribute
MIAMI — Dwyane Wade decided it was time to pig out.
Such is almost a responsibility when your sneaker brand is based in China and it is the Year of the Pig.
Enter the Li-Ning WOW7 “Year of the Pig” edition of the Way of Wade sneaker line that included a high-profile release Wednesday in New York.
While the Miami Heat icon had other business to tend to, namely Wednesday night’s game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center, he said the whimsical pink design appealed to him on several levels.
“It’s designed after Peppa Pig,” he explained. “Obviously in the States and also in China, it’s a big deal. The pig is a big deal. So it just went together with it being the Year of the Pig, as well.”
Included on the shoe are printed coordinates of both Wade’s Chicago birthplace and Li-Ning’s Beijing headquarters.
Wednesday’s release featuring Rick Ross and Fabolous came in Harlem.
“They’re doing some stuff in New York because of Fashion Week,” said Wade, 37, who is retiring after this 16th NBA season.
The Year of the Pig celebrates happiness, luck and good fortune.
“I was all in with it, sitting down with the design team,” Wade said. “The thing is, I’m not in China, so I need to know what’s going on there. They have the pulse of China and they came to me with this idea. Obviously I’ve heard of it here in the States, but I thought it was a great idea, so I signed up for it.”
Wade said the timing of the release in advance of Sunday’s final appearance at the NBA All-Star Game in Charlotte is coincidental, with no plans to wear it in what could set up as his final appearance on national television if the Heat do not advance to the playoffs.
He said he does not plan to wear the shoe during All-Star Weekend.
“I wore it in the Garden last time,” he said of the Heat’s Jan. 27 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. “It got enough views in the Garden the last time. So we already did that.”