WADE TAKING ONE MORE FINALS TURN AS SUPERHERO

MIAMI — Dwyane Wade, even in retirement, is back in the NBA Finals.

As part of ABC’s promotion of the upcoming NBA Finals, the Miami Heat icon is included in a superhero-scripted montage of recent Most Valuable Players from the league’s championship series.

Wade’s turn in the comic-book style commercial is part of the “Where Legends Rise” theme being utilized by the network.

According to a release issued by the NBA, the campaign highlights standout teams and players from past NBA championships. “Narrated by actor and producer Michael B. Jordan and alongside an original track by Murda Beatz, the spot celebrates the superhuman feats of these heroic players through cutting-edge comic-style illustrations, a continuation of the NBA Playoffs ‘Heroes Wanted’ campaign.”

Wade won NBA titles with the Heat in 2006, 2012 and ’13.

There also are moments that might have Heat fans in less than celebratory spirits, including a snippet with Dirk Nowitzki, who led the Dallas Mavericks to the 2011 NBA Finals in a series against the Heat Big Three of Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh. Also featured in the commercial is Wade’s longtime Boston Celtics rival Paul Pierce.

Former Heat center Shaquille O’Neal is featured for his championship play with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The 2019 NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and either the Milwaukee Bucks or Toronto Raptors opens on May 30, to be televised by ABC.