10 Years After Declaring 'This Is My House' Dwyane Wade Says Goodbye To American Airlines Arena
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – DJ Irie, the Miami Heat's in-house record spinner, had a birds eye view when Dwyane Wade first coined his signature phrase.
It was a moment anyone who was there won't forget.
In the 2009 season, the Heat were on the verge of losing to Wade's hometown Chicago Bulls.
But with seconds left in the game, Wade stole the ball from former University of Miami star John Salmons and launched a three pointer.
"I just remember hitting the shot and like not knowing what to do," Wade said. "I beeline and jumped on the table, and then when I jumped up there fans were like, they were just like giving it to me and I just declared this is my house at that moment."
What began as something spontaneous grew into something that Wade and Heat fans would remember.
That's because in his unparalleled Heat career, Wade has made a habit of the heroic.
PHOTO GALLERY: D-Wade's Final Home Game
"He's been making us jump out our seat all of us for the last 16 years," said Heat TV play-by-play broadcaster Eric Reid.
Reid, who has been calling Heat games since Wade was in grade school, has called all of Dwyane's clutch moments.
"That is his legacy, when his team needs him most, from start to finish, he's always been there," said Reid.
When those game winning shots have come at home, Wade has not hesitated rubbing it in to whichever opponent he just tormented, though it's not something he aims to do.
"Nah absolutely not," Wade said of the idea he did anything to show up his opponents. "There's nothing your caring about at that moment. You know what I mean? Because it is my house. I'm not in their building talking about this is my house' you know what I mean? So no, I don't care."
Even at 37 years old and playing in his final season, Wade made sure to remind fans that the American Airlines Arena is still his house.
That moment came in late February against defending the NBA champions, the Golden State Warriors.
Wade hit the game winning three pointer as time expired, causing the AAA to explode in absolute jubilation.
This time, Wade didn't even have to say what he was thinking. He saw fans doing it for him.
"I saw people in the crowd doing this," Wade said while pointing down in his 'This Is My House' pose. "You know I didn't even do it, then I did it. If you look at the video you see me do it because I saw people doing it back to me and it's just something that we have as a community, as a fan base, they just know it."
Wade will retire from the NBA as the Miami Heat's franchise leader in a string of categories, but perhaps none will mean more to him than going down in history as the player who defiantly declared that his home court was his house.
After all…it ain't bragging, if it's true.
