Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade moved out of Florida in 2021. After a long stint in the Sunshine State and a beloved fan base, he finally revealed why he threw in the towel and moved to California with his family.
Wade retired from basketball in 2019, and his wife, Gabrielle Union, is an actress, so L.A. was a beneficial career move for the couple. However, his retreat from the Miami Heat and the pull of the big screen weren't the only deciding factors in the move. In fact, it was the state's politics.
The athlete's daughter Zaya came out as transgender in February 2020 and legally changed her name and gender three years later, according to Page Six.
In an interview with journalist Rachel Nichols on April 28, Wade was questioned about Florida state legislators, and his response heavily referenced a slew of laws passed in the state regarding the LGBTQ+ community that could impact his daughter Zaya.
Recently, the Sunshine State has passed the "Don't Say Gay Bill" into law, and authorities have made a consistent push to reject personal pronouns in schools.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also made a request for data and information on trans college students and is in an insistent pursuit to end drag shows, a celebrated performance closely tied to the LGBTQ+ community.
Nichols asked Wade what he has to say to lawmakers who might have been fans of his and even have his jersey hung up in their closets.
"That's another reason why I don't live in that state. A lot of people don't know that. I had to make decisions for my family. Not just personal, individual decisions," Wade responded.
"Obviously, the taxes is great, having 'Wade County' is great, but my family would not be accepted or feel comfortable there."
He confirmed this in a Variety interview at the Met Gala, stating that Zaya's safety was a huge driving point for the change of address.
"One of our decisions was, you know, what was going to be the safest and best community for our daughter Zaya, And so L.A. was one of the safest and best communities for her," he said.
"I love Miami [...], but the last couple of years, the laws, the politics, you know, has really become this big conversation, right? This unsafe conversation, and it’s unsafe for my daughter," Wade continued.
\u201cDwyane Wade on moving away from Florida: \u201cI love Miami. Miami\u2019s done so much for me\u2026but the last couple of years, the laws and the politics has really become this big conversation, this unsafe conversation. It\u2019s unsafe for my daughter.\u201d #MetGala https://t.co/OcPy5cjK1f\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1682982151
The basketballer's family packed up and sold their mansion for $22 million back in June 2021, according to the Los Angeles Times.
He and his family now reportedly live in Hidden Hills, California, per Sportskeeda.
Their daughter Zaya actively pursues a modeling career there and has partnerships with brands such as Puma. She's also been on the cover of magazines like Dazed and has become an icon for other LGBTQ+ youth.
