Ex-NBA star Dwyane Wade to join WNBA’s Chicago Sky ownership group

A highly-accomplished Dwyane Wade, who has three NBA championships and 13 All-Star appearances under his belt, is making a significant move by joining the ownership group of the WNBA's Chicago Sky. 

Wade is the latest high-profile figure to invest in the 27-year-old league.

"We all talk about support, and support looks different for everyone," Wade told ESPN. "And so instead of tweeting out and saying, 'Go support the W,' instead of showing up at the game and supporting, I wanted to take it to that next level — and this was the next level for me.

"It's a great opportunity to be a part of the league in its very early stages. ... Growth is going to happen, and so I want to be a part of the growth of this league."

Wade will invest in his hometown team once the league’s Board of Governors approves the sale. The Chicago Sky sold a roughly 10% stake in the team, valuing it at $85 million, to a group that included the MLB's Chicago Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts last month. 

Wade, who retired from the NBA in 2019, joined ownership groups for the Utah Jazz and Real Salt Lake of the MLS since retiring.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.