Obama gives heartfelt tribute to Dwyane Wade ahead of his final game in Miami

JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

Barack Obama gave Dwyane Wade a tribute he'll never forget before he played his final home game as a member of the Miami Heat.

• Dwyane Wade played his final home game in Miami on Tuesday ahead of his retirement.
• In a prerecorded video, President Barack Obama praised Wade for his brilliant career.
• Wade played 16 seasons in the NBA, almost entirely with the Heat, and ends his career with three NBA championship rings, one scoring title, and 13 appearances in the NBA All-Star game.

Dwyane Wade played his final home game with the Miami Heat on Tuesday night, and received a tribute he will never forget from president Barack Obama.

Before tip-off, the Heat gave their departing superstar numerous tributes, celebrating his impressive NBA career.

But the biggest surprise of the night came from Obama, who in a prerecorded video, praised Wade for his career and contributions to the league.

"D-Wade! Congratulations on a great run," Obama said in the video. "Now, I know what you're going through because saying goodbye to a career that you love is never easy. I've been there. In my case though, I didn't really have a choice. My knees were shot so I had to give up basketball forever."

You can watch Obama's tribute to Wade in its entirety below. 

Wade played 16 seasons in the NBA, almost entirely with the Heat, and ends his career with three NBA championship rings, one scoring title, and 13 appearances in the NBA All-Star game.

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