Miami Heat Icon Dwyane Wade Sends Message Honoring Kobe Bryant

This past August 23 would have been Kobe Bryant's 46th birthday. Fans, players and media around the world came together to celebrate the occasion. Amongst them was Miami Heat legend, Dwyane Wade.

They enjoyed a rivalry on the court, where both are regarded as two of the best in NBA history, during their playing days.

Their careers were interconnected. Wade won three Championships with the Heat while Kobe reached the mountaintop five times with the Los Angeles Lakers. They were never on the same team in the NBA.

Of course, they were teammates on the 'Redeem Team' that brought back Olympic Gold to Team USA in 2008 in Beijing after the forgettable experience in Athens four years prior.

It is very clear that Wade has a ton of respect for Kobe and he sent out a couple of classy tweets on the 46th birth anniversary of his former Olympic teammate.

Kobe spent 20 seasons with the Lakers. He averaged 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists across 1,346 regular-season games.

He was selected to participate in 18 All-Star games. He won one MVP, two Finals MVPs, five Championship rings and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.

Three of his Championships came while teaming with Shaquille O'Neal but Kobe proved he could win without Shaq as well, leading the Lakers to glory in 2009 and 2010.

Incidentally, Shaq left the Lakers in 2004 to team with Wade in Miami. Together, they won the franchise's first-ever Championship in 2006.

Kobe's death in 2020 sent shockwaves around the world, as he was not just a popular sports personality but also an inspiration to millions, not just as a player but as a person too. Mamba Mentality will live on forever.