A day after the Heat’s brass pledged its support for Dwyane Wade playing in the Olympics, Team USA men’s basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo said Wade could recapture his competitive fire by competing in the Beijing Games.

”He has a lot to prove to people and himself about this comeback,” Colangelo told The Miami Herald on Friday.

Colangelo’s challenge to Wade?

”I want him to have a little bit of an attitude about coming back from this injury,” Colangelo said he told Wade during a recent visit in Chicago.

Colangelo said ‘’some people may suspect he won’t or can’t” return to form from this injury.

“When he led [the Heat] to a championship, the tiger was in his eye. Through what’s happened with the injury, etc., he wasn’t quite the same guy mentally. This is a great opportunity for him to have an edge.”

The 12-man Olympic roster will be announced Monday in Chicago. Colangelo stopped short of saying Wade has a spot but talked about him in glowing terms: “I would be happy to have him on this team. I have great respect for him.”

A source close to Wade said Thursday that Wade had been awarded a spot.

Wade missed 31 games last season because of chronic soreness in his surgically repaired left knee. He had shockwave therapy on his knee in March and missed the final 21 games. Wade also endured the toughest season of his career as the Heat finished with a league-worst 15-67 record.

Colangelo said besides delivering a pointed message to Wade, he wanted to gauge his physical progress.

”It wasn’t to make a determination on his skills,” Colangelo said. “I know who he is as a player. What I saw was very encouraging.”

Colangelo left impressed with Wade’s explosiveness, but added that his timing was “off.”

”That’s to be expected,” Colangelo said.

Colangelo said on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being the best), Wade’s trainer Tim Grover would give Wade an eight.

Colangelo said Wade has plenty of time to return to game shape. Team USA reconvenes for minicamp Friday in Las Vegas.

Dwyane Wade and LeBron James were riding around the streets on bicycles this weekend for charity, and now they are ready to go get gold in China for team UsA.

Coach K of Duke and Jerry Colangelo selected both Wade and James along with Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd and Carmelo Anthony, as the USA goes after their first basketball gold medal since 1996.

This is Wade’s second Olympic’s, after he and his teammates walked away in 2004 very disappointed.

“One thing that really helped my confidence was when LeBron and C.P. came to Chicago and we played together,” said Wade, who missed 31 games last season, an absence that sent the Heat plummeting to a 15-67 record. “We really took it up a notch and it was very competitive and I was doing what I normally do, so I was feeling good.”

Colangelo came to Chicago to see Wade play and came away convinced the 6-foot-4 guard was healthy.

Wade never wondered whether he’d be able to get ready.

“It’s all about me being healthy,” he said. “I’ve never doubted my talent. It’s just making sure I’m healthy for the long haul. Once I knew that weeks and weeks ago, then I was confident in moving forward.”

Check out Dwyane Wade as an analyst. Not a bad job. But come on man, don’t give up your dominant playing, so soon!

Dwyane Wade is going back to work with the Miami Heat on Wednesday.

Sort of, anyway.

Wade, the 2006 NBA finals MVP, and several other injured Heat players will work the phones at halftime of Miami’s game against the New Orleans Hornets, fielding calls from people looking to buy season tickets.

Other injured Heat players scheduled to take part in the event include Udonis Haslem, Shawn Marion, Alonzo Mourning, Marcus Banks, Jason Williams and Dorell Wright, along with anyone else on the Miami roster who’s on the inactive list Wednesday.

The Heat, who have the NBA’s worst record, have already seen players miss a combined 182 games because of medical issues this season.

Dwyane Wade was in attendance for his alma mater, Oak Lawn Richards first 4A Boys Basketball State title. The former Bulldog was the most excited fan on the sidelines during the 4A title game. ” I’m excited” Wade said before the game. ” I flew in just to watch them. It’s the first time I’ve ever been here.”

Richards was able to knock off Zion-Benton 67-63 Saturday in Peoria at the Civic Center.

The Bulldogs got a boost at halftime as D.Wade made his way into the locker room for a pep talk.

Congrats to D.Wade and the Richards Bulldogs. Next time you are in Peoria, D.W.- hit us up, your biggest fans are 20 minutes from the Civic Center in Peoria.!

Dwyane Wade didn’t wait long to begin rehabilitating his injured left knee.The Miami Heat guard and 2006 NBA finals MVP had an OssaTron procedure performed Tuesday, and will be limited to only non-contact exercise for the next 30 days. The 20-minute treatment came only one day after the Heat announced Wade would miss the remainder of the season to rest the surgically repaired joint, which has bothered him for months.

An OssaTron machine provides patients with a high-powered form of shockwave therapy, and has been used to treat injuries such as plantar fasciitis and tennis elbow when other more conventional treatments fail to bring relief. Several athletes, including Heat players Alonzo Mourning and Chris Quinn, have had OssaTron treatments in the past.

Wade finished the season averaging 24.5 points, currently fifth-best in the NBA.

Terrible news! Dwyane Wade is out for the season. Dwyane needs surgery on his left knee, and is sidelined for the remainder of the season. Wade, who is 26, will be having OssaTron treatment, which is non surgical shockwave therapy.

Despite Wade being hurt the entire season- he is averaging 24.6 points, 6.9 assists in his 51 games played.

Don’t forget us. Just because Dwyane is out, does not mean we will not keep this site active. We will definitely be giving updates on D.Wade’s progress, and any news regarding the man. Check back often, and let’s wish D.W. luck in his recovery.

With his tired old body, at age 26, Wade reached down and found a way to run with the youngins. Shooting 7/12 on the night, Wade had 14 points and a huge block that was one of the night’s highlights.

“D-Wade had the unbelievable block,” said Lebron James, who now has the highest All-Star Game scoring average of 24.7 per game, with Oscar Roberston second at 20.5. Which brings me to another point - 22 shots? What is with the ball hogging, Lebron? No one likes that aspect of the game. He played 30 minutes and jacked up 22 shots. Thank God he hit 12 of them because otherwise it looked like a Kobe performance - just trying to manipulate the stats for self-serving ends.

In the end, the East got the win over the West. They avenged last season’s whoopin’ where the West devastated the East 153-132 in Las Vegas.

Our friends over at Inside Hoops.com have an excellent interview, with our guy D. Wade. Check it out. Good luck to D. Wade at the All Star Game!

Thanks to Earthtimes.org

CHICAGO, Feb. 14 /PRNewswire/ — Building on the momentum of its Super Bowl XLII G2 ad with Derek Jeter, The Gatorade Company, a division of PepsiCo (PEP), will debut a new 30-second G2 commercial starring Dwyane Wade during Friday evening’s NBA All Star Rookie Game. Wade, who just renewed a multi-year deal with the nation’s top sports drink company, joins Derek Jeter, Peyton Manning and Maria Sharapova as athletes who are showcased “off the field” as part of a comprehensive integrated marketing campaign to support the launch of G2, a new low-calorie lifestyle beverage. It’s the latest in beverage news from PepsiCo’s unrivaled hydration portfolio.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080214/AQTH116-a) (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080214/AQTH116-b)

Similar to the Jeter spot for G2 that debuted in the Super Bowl, the Wade ad uses special effects to reinforce the G2 product proposition — an athlete is an athlete 24/7. In the ad, as Wade walks in street clothes in an urban environment, the pavement begins to transform into the boards of a basketball court to communicate that athletes often think about the game even when they are off the field of play. The new spot plays off a G2 teaser campaign that showed just the legs and feet of an athlete walking with a sneak preview of the off-the-field visual technique.

“This ad has a really cool vibe and shows how I’m always thinking about the game, wherever I go. It shows how being an athlete is a lifestyle, because every decision you make can affect how you play,” said Dwyane Wade, five-time NBA All Star guard for the Miami Heat. “I’m always looking to be the best player on the court. Drinking Gatorade while I’m playing and G2 in between games helps me perform at my best.”

For decades, Gatorade has hydrated and fueled athletes on the field and now G2 will help keep athletes hydrated when they are off the field. G2 is available in Fruit Punch, Orange and Grape.

Dwyane Wade has had a relationship with Gatorade since 2005 and recently renewed this partnership through a multiple-year extension. Wade has starred in numerous commercials for the brand including solo spots for Gatorade Thirst Quencher as well as serving as a key face of The Gatorade Company’s new G2 drink.

“Dwyane’s unique style and personality off the court combined with his on the court talent make him an ideal partner for The Gatorade Company,” said Jeff Urban, senior vice president of Gatorade. “His approach to life and the game itself are a perfect fit for showcasing the benefits of Gatorade as well as G2.”

G2 is supported by the largest integrated marketing campaign since the launch of the company’s Propel Fit Water in 2002. Additional campaign support includes television and print advertising, digital, retail, sampling, and cause-marketing efforts.

The G2 advertising was produced by Element 79 Partners, Chicago. About G2 and Gatorade

G2 from the makers of Gatorade is a low calorie lifestyle beverage to help athletes hydrate when they are off the field so they are better prepared for competition. Research shows that as many as 50 to 70 percent of competitive athletes arrive at practices or games inadequately hydrated. Dehydration can have a negative impact on their performance and increase the risk for heat illness during practices or games especially in the heat. G2 is a low calorie beverage with electrolytes that help maintain electrolyte balance, encourage athletes to drink more and help athletes’ bodies hold on to fluid. G2 is for athletes off the field whereas Gatorade Thirst Quencher is a sports drink that provides the advanced hydration (fluids and electrolytes) and carbohydrate energy to fuel athletic performance on the field. With the addition of G2, the Gatorade Company will better meet the hydration needs of athletes on a 24/7 basis. The Gatorade Company is a division of PepsiCo, Inc. The PepsiCo Hydration Portfolio includes leadership products such as Gatorade Tiger, Gatorade Thirst Quencher, G2, Propel, SoBe Life Water, Aquafina and Tropicana. No other beverage company helps quench thirst on more occasions and in more great-tasting ways. For more information, please visit http://www.drinkg2.com/ and http://www.gatorade.com/.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo is one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies, with 2007 annual revenues of more than $39 billion. The company employs approximately 185,000 people worldwide, and its products are sold in approximately 200 countries. Its principal businesses include: Frito-Lay snacks, Pepsi-Cola beverages, Gatorade sports drinks, Tropicana juices and Quaker foods. The PepsiCo portfolio includes 17 brands that generate $1 billion or more each in annual retail sales. PepsiCo’s commitment to sustainable growth, defined as Performance with Purpose, is focused on generating healthy financial returns while giving back to communities the company serves. This includes meeting consumer needs for a spectrum of convenient foods and beverages, reducing the company’s impact on the environment through water, energy and packaging initiatives, and supporting its employees through a diverse and inclusive culture that recruits and retains world-class talent. PepsiCo is listed on the Dow Jones North America Sustainability Index and the Dow Jones World Sustainability Index. For more information, please visit http://www.pepsico.com/.

About Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade is one of professional basketball’s most successful and popular players. Since he entered the NBA in 2003, Wade has three-times earned All-NBA honors. He led the Miami Heat to its first NBA Championship in 2006 and was named the NBA Finals MVP. That year, he was selected as Sports Illustrated’s Athlete of the Year. He holds Heat single-season franchise records for points, scoring average, field goals made and free throws made. This season, Wade ranks among the league leaders in points per game. He will be making his fourth consecutive appearance in the NBA All-Star Game.

http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080214/AQTH116-a” mime-type=”application/octet-stream”/> Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080214/AQTH116-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080214/AQTH116-b
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN14,15
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com The Gatorade Company

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