Dwyane Wade is dedicating his return to the Miami Heat and the rest of his season to a victim of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.
On Monday, Wade shared an image on Twitter of Joaquin Oliver, who was among the 17 killed in the Parkland, Fla., school shooting on Feb. 14.
Oliver, a Heat fan who was excited about No. 3’s return to Miami after a trade from Cleveland at the NBA trade deadline, was buried in Wade’s jersey this past Sunday.
It’s way BIGGER than basketball. We are the voices for the people that don’t get to be heard. Joaquin Oliver may you Rest In Peace and i dedicate my return and the rest of this Miami Heat season to you.
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) February 26, 2018
“This is why we will not just SHUT up and dribble,” Wade said, referencing Fox News host Laura Ingraham’s recent attack on LeBron James and Kevin Durant after the pair criticized the leadership abilities of U.S. President Donald Trump.
The backlash to Ingraham’s comments from the sports world was swift and scathing as athletes and other personalities look to use their stature to raise awareness to issues in a time of heightened divisiveness in the United States.
Meanwhile, the Parkland shooting has resulted in unprecedented backlash with protests led by Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students and major companies continuing to end corporate sponsorships with the National Rifle Association.
Several athletes and professional sports teams have also shown their support in the wake of the Parkland tragedy. The Toronto Blue Jays were among 28 major league teams to wear the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School baseball cap for the Grapefruit League opening game last week.
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