<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Now, Dwyane Wade said. Now he's ready. Now he knows what he wants, how he wants it, how he'll get it. For three seasons in South Florida he has emerged as a dazzling talent. But the All-Star appearances, the 2006 NBA title, the trophies, that's just basketball. That's about being a player. Now, at 24, he said it's about far more. It's about being a man. "I'm going forward with my plans for life," he said during a break in his whirlwind offseason. "I'm looking at things not only basket-wise, but personal-wise." Physically, the Wade who reports to Heat training camp a week from today is similar to the chiseled 6-foot-4 presence who has lifted the franchise's spirit these past three seasons. But emotionally, he has moved to a place where doubts have no place. And that is what makes this stage in his life different. He is sure he wants another child, and sure about when he wants it. He no longer views the marketing aspect of the game as intrusive, but rather as a destiny. And he won't allow others to diminish any of his efforts, now that he appreciates the strength needed to succeed. The latter factor is perhaps the most significant as the Heat prepares to reassemble at AmericanAirlines Arena. Two years ago, upon returning from the Athens Olympics, Wade spoke of the "hurt" of the United States' bronze-medal finish. His body language was that of a defeated player. Then-coach Stan Van Gundy spent much of the preseason working to re-establish his guard's confidence. This year, bronze again hangs from Wade's neck, but not as a noose. Rather, he views the semifinal loss to Greece at last month's World Championships as a step toward 2008 Olympic gold. "It's two totally different feelings," he said. "I think it has something to do with the [fact that the] two are totally different teams -- the personnel and the coaching staff and just everything. "In 2004 when we did it, it was bad. Nothing was going good there. People weren't getting along. We weren't playing well. But this time around, we played well. We were a young team and we were growing. This team is on the right path of winning the ultimate gold medal in 2008. Then I can come back and say I'm proud of that." Yet while Wade plans to be at the Beijing Games, hopefully again in the captain's role he held at the Worlds, he is not as certain about next summer's Olympic qualifying. With his son, Zaire, to turn 5 in February, the hope is next summer can be reserved for another arrival. "I'm ready to have another baby," he said. "And if that comes, it will come over the summer."</div> Source
