Zaire Wade Enjoying Life In Utah, Time With Stars

SALT LAKE CITY – On Wednesday, Salt Lake City Stars rookie guard Zaire Wade joined Jake and Ben on 97.5 and 1280 The Zone to discuss living in Utah, and the beginning of his professional basketball career.

Wade was selected by the Salt Lake City Stars with the 10th pick of October’s G League draft before making his debut with the roster earlier this month.

During the conversation, Wade discussed moving to Utah, playing for the Stars, and the adjustment to being a professional basketball player.

You can listen to the full interview in the player below.

Wade On Moving To Utah

Unlike his father Dwyane who is a minority owner of the Utah Jazz and only spends a portion of his time in the state, Zaire is a full-time resident during the Stars season.

The point guard discussed his move to Utah ahead of the Stars home opener on Wednesday.

“I’m living on my own, I’m 19 and this is my first time with myself,” Wade said. “But I’m finding my own way to get my meal prep done.”

Rather than attending college where Wade had several scholarship offers, the prep guard opted to pursue his professional career by entering his name into the G League draft.

 

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Now less than a month into his rookie season, the guard is enjoying his new home state after having lived all over the United States.

“I’ve been bouncing around from Chicago to Miami to LA to New Hampshire,” Wade said. “So I’ve been all around. I’m pretty used to having to go somewhere and adjust but Salt Lake is easy to adjust to, man. The city is great, we’re in a great location where there’s a lot of things around us to do.”

The guard has been blessed with unusually warm fall weather so far but said he’s prepared for the upcoming winter.

“The weather hasn’t hit, and they say is going to be super cold yet, so I’m still out here enjoying it while I can with my sandals on right now,” Wade joked. “But besides that, it’s all good. Like I said, it’s the first start to a new experience so I’m just embracing it.”

Wade On Playing For The Stars

Despite playing for their G League affiliate, Wade isn’t eligible to play with Jazz, nor any other NBA team during his premiere season due to the league’s collective bargaining agreement.

However, the guard said he’s enjoyed his time playing for the Stars.

“It’s all been new and exciting. It’s a learning experience for me on and off the court, but all the guys, the coaching staff, and the whole organization have been great with helping me get accustomed.”

Just 19 and fresh out of high school, Wade is the youngest player on the Stars roster and the only player who hasn’t played college basketball.

Zaire Wade’s first bucket as a member of the @slcstars is a corner 3. #TakeNote | @kslsports

pic.twitter.com/hTANMq2LmV

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) November 6, 2021

Rather than having a few seasons of college ball under his belt, Wade made the jump from the AAU circuit to the pros and has already recognized the dramatic jump in competition.

“AAU, it’s more like everybody’s out there to get the highlights or scholarship offers or whatever,” the Stars guard said. “But obviously here, everybody is trying to get called up [to an NBA roster], but I feel like people take this a little more seriously — it’s their job.”

That’s also included a different level of coaching, including building a close relationship with the Stars’ coach Nathan Peavy.

“Coach Peavy, there’s something different about him,” Wade said. “I don’t know if it’s because he was a player, or because he really, really really cares about his players, but just him off the court man, he talks to me as if I’m somewhat related to family.”

But, just because they’ve grown close off the court, that doesn’t mean Peavy can’t be tough with his team on the floor.

“On the court, he’s going to be on you, of course, that’s what a good coach is supposed to do,” Wadie said. “But he’s played before so he understands.”

You can listen to the full interview in the player above, and catch Wade and the Stars in their home debut Wednesday night against the Santa Cruz Warriors at 7 pm MT at the Lifetime Activities Center-Bruin Arena on the Salt Lake Community College Campus.

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