Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and LeBron James form one of the most essential, dominant, and effective Big Threes in the history of the world’s top basketball league. Individually, these three names were synonymous in the NBA with excellence, spectacularity, and dominance.

This trident, however, did not emerge completely formed from the ground; it had a seed, one that was recognized and casually nurtured by another NBA player who was not a member of this trio but whose stature still contributed to its formation. The fourth indirect protagonist was Kobe Bryant himself.

Years after Wade, Bosch, and James lit up the NBA and the world of basketball from Miami, the former explained in an interview with SKWeek Show how he came to assemble an unbeatable trio that would smash Kobe Bryant and the dynasty and hegemony he was on his way to carving out with his Lakers.

Wade provides historical context

Dwayne Wade, Tony Parker, Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, and Thierry Henry discussed Dwayne’s involvement in attracting LeBron James to the Miami Heat, where the two would win championships in 2012 and 2013.

“I saw Kobe make a basket and start a wild celebration on TV.” So, what are you supposed to do now? I took out my phone and dialed LeBron’s number. We were in the midst of free agency, and the Los Angeles Lakers were the reigning NBA champions. Wade was eager to praise the Los Angeles Lakers, especially Pau Gasol, following Kobe Bryant’s recent championship triumph. “Kobe had just won all those rings, he has five and we only have one,” Wade noted.

Wade relayed the anecdote after Bryant, Gasol, and the rest of the team defeated the Boston Celtics and won their second consecutive championship.

Bosch and James were free agents a few weeks later, and the three of them—along with Wade—were rewriting NBA history as we know it.