Dwyane Wade Says Family Is His Motivation for Having Left Florida: 'Would Not Be Accepted' (Exclusive)

Dwyane Wadeis talking about part of his family’s reasoning for not staying in Florida.The retired Miami Heat icon, 41, appears on Thursday’s episode ofHeadlinerswithRachel Nichols, where he’s asked about Florida politicians who count themselves among his fans but are vocal proponents of LGBTQ policies that negatively impact families like the Wades.“That’s another reason why I don’t live in that state,” Wade, father to 15-year-old daughterZaya, who came out as transgender in 2020, says in a clip shared exclusively with PEOPLE.

Dwyane Wade Says Friend Kobe Bryant Was 'in the Process of Building' His Next Legacy Before Death

Dwyane WadesaysKobe Bryantwas just beginning his second act ahead of his shocking death in a helicopter crash in January. Wadetells PEOPLE in an interviewahead of the release of his documentary,D. Wade: Life Unexpected, that Bryant’s legacy is so much more than his illustrious career in the NBA. “His legacy is what he was in the process of building that we all got a chance to watch, right?” says Wade, 38. “We’ve seen what he did for basketball.

Dwyane Wade Says Going for Full Custody Was 'Tough' But 'Beneficial' for Kids: 'They Needed Me'

ForDwyane Wade, fighting for full custody of his children wasn’t an easy feat — but it was worth every hurdle.The 37-year-old former Miami Heat star is dad toKaavia James, 13 months,Xavier Zechariah, 6,Zion Malachi Airamis, 12, andZaire Blessing Dwyane, 17, as well as guardian over nephewDahveon Morris, 18. Wade gained sole custody of Zion and Zaire in 2011.In a recent interview for Showtime’sAll the Smokepodcast, Wade recalled that period in his life as a “tough time” because “when I decided to go for custody, I really didn’t have a lot of examples.

Dwyane Wade Says He Deals with 'Mental Fog': 'Things Just Go Blank Sometimes' (Exclusive)

Photo:Courtesy of ThorneAt 41, retired NBA starDwyane Wadesays he knows that “50 is coming.“Since his retirement from basketball in 2019, Wade says he’s put a stronger emphasis on being mindful of his health — physical and mental, to succeed in all areas of his life post-playing career.“At this stage, and especially on the topic of health, it’s not something I could take lightly. I’m 41, looking at 50, and I’m thinking about how I want to be then,” Wade tells PEOPLE.

Dwyane Wade Says He Worried About Life After NBA: 'All I Knew Was I Loved the Game of Basketball'

Photo: the daily show with trevor noah/ youtubeDwyane Wade isn’t afraid of the future.In an interview onThe Daily Showwith Trevor Noah on Wednesday, the 39-year-old retired professional basketball player admitted he dealt with uncertainty about what was next as he walked away from the NBA in 2019.When Noah asked Wade who he’d be without basketball in the picture he admitted to taking months off to contemplate his next move.“I mean basketball is what I know.