Dwyane Wade has always had a crush on his wife, Gabrielle Union, ever since he was a teenager.
Long before their love story began, the former NBA star was already head over heels for the actress as a boy growing up in Chicago following her rise to fame. While many NBA marriages tend to follow certain conventional patterns, their relationship stands out, not only because Union was already successful but also due to the nontraditional dynamics in their partnership.
In a candid interview on Angel Reese’s podcast, “Unapologetically Angel,” Wade shared, “My wife has been a celebrity for a very long time. I grew up a horny little boy… I was crushing on her when I was young, for sure.”
He added, “Like, I’m from the Black community. That’s Gabrielle Union.”
To put it into perspective, when Union played the role of Isis in the 2000 hit film “Bring It On,” Wade was an 18-year-old freshman at Marquette University.
Even earlier, when she appeared on shows like “Moesha” or “Sister, Sister,” Wade was around 14 or 15 years old, watching from afar. Little did he know that years later Union would become his wife.
While some might assume that Union’s established career could present challenges in their relationship, Wade sees it differently. He admitted there had to be a special effort made but noted that the dynamic they’ve built together works for them.
“It was an adjustment. It wasn’t easy, and it’s not easy on both sides,” he said.
Union, as Wade described her during the podcast, is an “alpha” female. As a result, she often takes the lead. But for Wade, this balance isn’t unfamiliar.
“You could see my personality, I’m able to play with Shaq and play with LeBron. Me and Gab play together. We’re partners. We’re teammates, and so this is just another version of that for me,” he said.
In fact, Wade said learning when to step up and when to take a step back is crucial to their success.
“I got to learn when to lead, and I got to learn when to follow… and a lot of men hear that, and they’re like, ‘What do you mean follow your woman?’”
This approach led to one of the most talked-about aspects of their marriage: their 50/50 financial split. The revelation sparked debates about gender roles and the perception of masculinity in relationships. But Wade takes it in stride, confident in their arrangement and his identity.
“You gotta be real secure in who you are to deal with a woman who got her own bread, you know,” he told Reese. “Like, she can hop on a [private jet] when she wants. Like, she got their life, and so you got to be secure in what you do and how you move.”
The “Being Mary Jane” lead, worth an estimated $40 million, brings financial power to their partnership. Wade shared that she often insists on splitting things evenly.
“She boss out sometimes on me. She’ll swell up a little bit and be like, ‘I’ll pay… I’ll pay half.’”
However, it’s not always like that. There are also times when Union is like, “You got this, big dog,” leaving him to pay for everything.
Union has faced public criticism for her comments on going half on the household expenses. In 2023, she explained her reasoning behind going half with Wade, citing her desire to contribute and not rely solely on him.
Speaking with “Bloomberg Originals’ Idea Generation,” Union said, “It’s weird to say I’m head of household ‘cause, in this household, we split everything 50/50.”
Their 50/50 financial arrangement isn’t the only way their marriage defies tradition.
Over the last ten years since they said “I do,” Wade and Union have built a blended family that seems to work for them.
The way I do Fatherhood…#HappyFathersDay pic.twitter.com/NDjcd0qOBZ
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) June 17, 2024
Wade brought three children into the marriage — Zaire and Zaya (born Zion) from his previous relationship with Siohvaughn Funches, and Xavier, who was born during a brief separation from Union.
Another nontraditional aspect of their family life was their decision to use a surrogate to welcome their daughter, Kaavia James aka the “Shady Baby,” in 2018.
Based on the conversation with Reese, it seems that Wade’s childhood dream has become his reality — he’s spending his life with the woman he admired from afar as a young boy.