After leading the Marquette Golden Eagles to the Final Four nearly two decades ago, former NBA superstar Dwyane Wade has returned to the Wisconsin university with a new achievement under his belt.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports Wade presented the commencement speech to the graduating class of 2022 in addition to receiving an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from his alma mater.
"We. Are. Marquette. 23 years ago Marquette chose me," Wade wrote on Instagram.
Wade Affirms Students To Embrace Their Passions And Journey Ahead
During his speech, Wade spoke to 1,942 undergraduates about the importance of solitude, being self-aware, and the journey toward becoming.
“As we become more self-aware, we achieve a better understanding of who we are,” Wade said. “We discover our values. Our character. What we consider to be right or wrong. We discover what drives us, what inspires us, and motivates us. Through self-awareness, we are given the opportunity to design who we truly want and deserve to be.”
Wade learned this firsthand as he shares his future did not become clear until Tom Crean, the former Marquette basketball coach, said his next steps would be at the university. The affirmation followed after Wade found out he did not pass his ACT. Fast forward to now and Wade has become a three-time NBA champion and will be in contention for Hall of Fame status next year. With his accomplishments, Wade hopes to inspire students to embrace the journey ahead and their passions.
“Today, we celebrate you. What you have accomplished, as we should. But tomorrow, you will wake up, to begin the next leg of your journey. Your passion, I repeat, your passion, it lies in the journey ahead. So to all of you, the graduating class of 2022, I just want to say congratulations.”
