Has having Dwyane Wade as an investor been a great benefit to the Utah Jazz?

As AfroTech previously told you, the former basketball player became a minority stake owner in the NBA team in 2021 and had plans to take the franchise “to the next level.”

“Proud and excited to become a part of the @utahjazz family with Ryan Smith and the rest of the amazing ownership team,” Wade said on Instagram at the time. “As a businessman, entrepreneur, and investor, I bring a lot to this partnership outside of my basketball experience. I’m excited to help take the Utah Jazz to the next level.”

Ryan Smith, NBA governor of the Utah Jazz, also previously shared his excitement about the future of the team with Wade on board as an investor.

“As we continue to build on the incredible legacy of the Utah Jazz franchise, we are excited to add Dwyane’s experience and expertise to the equation,” Smith said when Wade joined the ownership group. “Utah is an amazing place, and I couldn’t be more thrilled about the future of the franchise and the future of this state. Dwyane’s influence will be important to both.”

“I am always looking for new opportunities to grow and challenge myself,” Wade said, according to ABC 10News. “I’ve always done things my own way, and this is the next step in my journey. As a kid from the south side of Chicago, this partnership goes beyond my wildest dreams of playing basketball, and I hope to inspire the next generation of dreamers.”

Growing up on the south side of Chicago, Wade had a long-held dream of playing professional basketball. Now that dream has taken him even further with ownership.

Wade is making his child self proud as it has been reported the Utah Jazz valuation has soared by 28.5%, increasing from $1.75 billion to $2.25 billion since he attached himself as an investor, per Heat Nation.

While the uptick in growth cannot be solely attributed to Wade, it may be safe to say he’s doing his part and taking it to the “next level.”