"Coach Crean disciples": Dwyane Wade remembers Tom Crean as he links up with Anthony Edwards during Team USA practice

Dwyane Wade visited Team USA’s training camp in Las Vegas on Monday. A former national team winner, Wade linked up with the new generation of American talents, especially the player who he has been mostly compared with, Anthony Edwards.

In his post on X (formerly Twitter), Dwyane Wade was seen dapping up Edwards on the sidelines of the Team USA practice. According to Wade, it was his way to pay tribute to his college coach Tom Crean, who had also mentored Edwards during his lone year in Georgia.

"Coach Crean Disciples,” Wade captioned.

Dwyane Wade and Anthony Edwards have been two of Crean’s biggest superstars that came out of his programs. With Marquette from 2000 to 2003, Wade led his college to the NCAA tournament’s Final Four months before he was picked fifth overall by the Miami Heat.

Meanwhile, Edwards was recruited by Crean to play with the University of Georgia in the 2019-20 season, playing for them in just one season. Edwards became the nation’s top-scoring freshman and the SEC Player of the Year under Crean.

Tom Crean is still coaching in the collegiate ranks at the University of Georgia.

---

Tom Crean gives upper hand for Anthony Edwards in Dwyane Wade comparisons

When Anthony Edwards was just making his case in the NBA draft, Tom Crean noted the differences between Edwards and Dwyane Wade.

In an interview with SLAM magazine, Crean applauded Edwards’ camaraderie with his teammates, calling him one of the most empathetic teammates he ever coached.

“The thing that’s a separator for me, if I’ve got to sum it up, outside of all the talent and upside, is that Anthony is one of the greatest teammates I’ve had the privilege of coaching,” said Crean.

Creans also cited how much Edwards cares about his teammates both on the court and off of it.

“The way he cares about others, how engaging and involved he is with them. For a young man, he’s got an incredible level of empathy,” he added.

Dwyane Edwards was picked first in the 2020 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, whose squad reached the Western Conference Finals last season for the first time in 20 years.

The 22-year-old led the team in their first deep playoff run since the Wolves’ Kevin Garnett era. Meanwhile, at Edwards’ age, Wade was just getting his feet wet in the NBA, playing his first season as a 22-year-old.

Dwyane Wade and Anthony Edwards share the same height, six-foot-four, with their official weight being just five pounds apart. They are both flashy shooting guards who blast defenders on drives and can be deadly in the mid-range area.

Wade won his first NBA title in 2006 when he was 24. It remains to be seen if Edwards goes in the same championship trajectory as Wade.