Dwyane Wade is still racking up assists at Marquette.
Wade, who led the Golden Eagles to the Final Four in 2003 and is the only former MU player in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame , announced a gift of $3 million to the university on Monday.
Wade was at Fiserv Forum for MU's game against Villanova , and his donation was acknowledged during the first half. He spoke to the crowd in the first half, and then to the media at halftime.
"This is what's it all about," Wade said. "I've accomplished so much in the game of basketball, even in life at this point at 41.
"The journey is the purpose. Like, what is your purpose in life? And so coming back here, it feels like, OK, this is a part of my purpose.
"And I go back to my journey here and how I got here. And I just wanted to make sure that, this university I know changed my life, that so many others get the same opportunity. That's a word I've said a lot today, but that's a word that means everything to a kid that grew up like me. And so many kids in the world. Somebody believed in you, and Marquette gave me that. From that jump-start, I've been able to go off and do some incredible things."
The $3 million will go toward three areas at MU.
First, it will help extend the Tragil Wade-Johnson Summer Reading Program. The program, named after Wade's sister, is hosted at MU's Hartman Literacy and Learning Center and aims to increase reading achievement in Milwaukee's school children.
Literacy has been one of Wade's passions. Last summer, Wade held a fundraiser with former MU teammate Travis Diener to benefit the Tragil Wade-Johnson Summer Reading Program.
The gift will also establish the Wade Scholars to benefit low-income students. Two students per year will receive full room and board scholarships for their first two years at MU.
A portion of Wade's gift will also help the school's planned expansion of the Athletic and Human Performance Research Center , which will include a new practice facility for the men's basketball team. The basketball court at the new facility will be named Dwyane Wade Court.
"When we sat down and talked about what we wanted this gift to represent," Wade said. "Of course, that was important to all of us, especially me.
"I love the games. The games are when the fans get the opportunity to come and enjoy all the hard work that's put in behind the scenes. But practice, that's where my money was made. That's where my legacy was built. And so for each kid that will come through this university, to see that name on the court, hopefully that's what they understand. That's where the legacy is built, this is where you take advantage of the opportunities given to you."
The first phase of the AHPRC was completed in 2019. The men's basketball team currently practices in the Al McGuire Center, which opened in 2003 a few months after the team's Final Four appearance.
Wade has been around MU a lot since retiring from the NBA in 2019. He spoke at the school's commencement ceremony in May 2022, joined Final Four teammates last January in a 20-year reunion and was courtside for the Golden Eagles' exciting showing at the Maui Invitational in Honolulu in November .
"Dwyane has been an inspiration across the world, and his legacy is so much bigger than basketball," MU President Michael R. Lovell said in a statement. "We are proud of the way Dwyane represents our Marquette mission. His generous gift will make a major impact on the lives of our current students as well as future generations, and it will significantly elevate our men's basketball program."
Part 1: Wade was an overlooked gem in high school
Part 2: The untold stories of Wade's dominant sit-out season
Part 3: Once on the court, Wade becomes a star
Part 4: MU teammates always saw Wade as a humble superstar
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Dwyane Wade giving $3 million to Marquette
