Dwyane Wade knows that the hard conversations are also the necessary ones.
And for the retired NBA star and his wife Gabrielle Union, that includes the moment in 2013 when he shared that he was expecting a baby with Aja Metoyer, whom he'd briefly been romantically involved with during a break in his and the Bring It On star's relationship. (Aja welcomed son Xavier Zechariah Wade later that year.) As he recalled, it was a conversation more difficult than competing in that year's NBA finals.
"Way harder to have a conversation with my now-wife," Dwyane said when Club Shay Shay's host Shannon Sharpe posed the question in a video shared Sept. 20. "You're trying to think of everything possible. It's all scary. This whole situation is scary enough, you're a public figure."
The athlete and Gabrielle, who first started dating in 2008, parted ways early in 2013 but ultimately reconciled and were engaged by December, tying the knot the following year.
"But you know that you've hurt someone that you've been building a relationship with and a life with," he continued. "And no matter what people say outside or what people think, it's like, ultimately, like you got to sit with you. You got to sit with this person, this woman you're gonna be with, right?"
But despite the difficult circumstances of this moment in their lives, the 41-year-old credits Gabrielle—with whom he shares daughter Kaavia, 4, as well as kids Zaire, 21, and Zaya, 16, with ex-wife Siovaughn Funches—with guiding the pair through it and out the other side. Especially given that his NBA team, the Miami Heat, was simultaneously competing in that year's playoffs and finals, which they ultimately won.
"I couldn't have gotten through that moment without her sticking with me," he explained. "That was a rough time for me. You're keeping something from people you love, and it's heavy. And I tried to pussyfoot around it. I tried to break up with her, ‘Hey, you know things has been bad lately. We've been having some distance in our relationship anyway.' Like I tried all that. She kept showing up."
And in the years since, the longtime couple have kept showing up for each other by putting in the work to make their relationship successful.
"It hasn't been perfect, it will never be perfect," Dwyane noted. "But that was nine years ago. We go to therapy, we've been to therapy. We've had shouts about it. We've had regular conversations about it. It's been something that is going to continue to be something that I have to work at and work on. It doesn't go away because years come or because I say sorry."
But despite the ups and downs, at the end of the day, Dwyane is ready to own his story—and is grateful for it all.
"Right now, this is all mine," he reflected. "And as good as it looked, or as bad as it seems, it's mine. I'm thankful to even have the good in my life. And I'm also thankful to have the things that's a little uncomfortable to talk about and deal with and experience, because that makes you live a full life."
Scroll on to see more photos of the pair.
All in the Family
Dwyane Wade celebrated the final game in his NBA career with Gabrielle Union and their daughter Kaavia Wade in 2019. The Miami Heats player was also joined by his nephew Dahveon Morris, his kids Zaire Wade and Zaya Wade (with ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches) and son Xavier Wade (with ex Aja Metoyer) for the momentous occasion.
Perfect Match
Gabrielle and Dwyane proved they go together like peanut butter and jelly on Halloween 2023. Meanwhile, their daughter Kaavia dressed up as Cinderella.
Bring On the Silly
The Bring It On actress snapped silly selfies with Kaavia on Mother's Day 2023.
Like Father, Like Son
Dwyane's oldest son Zaire captioned this 2022 photo of his dad holding up his Salt Lake City Stars jersey: "Leave a legacy."
Teenage Milestones
Dwyane and Gabby send Zaya, who the former NBA star shares with ex Siovaughn Funches, off to her school's winter formal in January 2023.
"Supporting each other for life’s big moments is key," the couple wrote in an Instagram post. "All the nerves, all the anxiety, all the fear… With loved ones by your side, no matter the challenge, we 10 toes down. Always."
"See @kaaviajames mama's got hair like yours," Gabrielle shared on Instagram in 2020. "When I took my braids out she was like... now mom & baby both rocking their natural curls."
While attending the 2019 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Sports Awards, the couple's daughter Kaavia made her award show debut. Spoiler alert: She was a total pro.
After celebrating Thanksgiving as a family, Dwyane took to Twitter to slam Internet trolls who had some not-so-nice comments.
"I've seen some post-thanksgiving hate on social about my family photo," he shared online. "Stupidity is apart of this world we live in—so i get it. But here's the thing—I've been chosen to lead my family not y'all. So we will continue to be us and support each other with pride, love & a smile!"
Snuggle Season
Gabrielle rang in her 50th birthday in 2022 with snuggles from Dwyane and Kaavia.
Sweet 16
The couple are all smiles as they celebrate Zaya's 16th birthday in May 2023.
When it was time to celebrate Halloween 2019, Gabrielle and Dwyane knew just the look to pull off with their baby girl.
But wait, there's more! The proud parents also transformed into another theme with their daughter Zaya.
Dwyane praised Zaya amid criticism from online trolls.
"First of all, if you want to talk about strength and courage, my 12-year-old has way more than I have," he shared on the All the Smoke podcast in 2019. "You can learn something from your kids. In my household, man, that's all we talk about. We talk about making sure our kids are seen by each of us, me and my wife, We talk about making sure our kids understand the power in their voice."
Ultimate Defenders
After Gabrielle was fired from America's Got Talent in 2019, Dwyane absolutely had his wife's back. "'Men lie, Women lie, numbers don't,'" he shared on Twitter after the news broke. "Over this past year I've been approaching by many people saying that my wife @itsgabrielleu is the main reason they've started watching #AGT or that they love her insight and sincerity on the show."