Dwyane Wade defends his 50/50 age with Gabrielle Union and reveals the shocking age he fell in love with her

Dwyane Wade had a crush on his wife Gabrielle Union from an early age.

Long before their love story began, the former NBA star was already in love with the actress as a boy growing up in Chicago after she rose to fame. While many NBA marriages tend to follow certain conventional patterns, their union stands out not only because Union has already been successful, but also because of the non-traditional dynamic of their partnership.

In a candid interview on Angel Reese’s podcast “Unapologetically Angel,” Wade said: “My wife has been a star for a very long time. I grew up as a horny boy… I definitely had a crush on her when I was young.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW4kcaZ4sDk

He added: “For example, I am from the Black community. This is Gabrielle Union.

For comparison: When Union played the role of Isis in the 2000 hit film “Bring It On,” Wade was an 18-year-old freshman at Marquette University.

Even before that, when she appeared on shows like “Moesha“ or “Sister, sister,Wade was about 14 or 15 years old and was watching the situation from afar. Little did he know that many years later, Union would become his wife.

While some may assume that Union’s established career might pose challenges in their relationship, Wade sees it differently. He admitted that special effort had to be put into it, but noted that the dynamics they had built together worked to their advantage.

“It was an adjustment. It wasn’t easy and it isn’t easy for both sides,” he said.

Union, as Wade described her on the podcast, is an “alpha” female. Thanks to this, he often takes the initiative. But Wade is no stranger to this balance.

“You could see my personality, I can play with Shaq and LeBron. Me and Gab play together. We are partners. We’re teammates, so for me it’s just another version of what happened,” he said.

Wade said learning when to step up and when to step back is crucial to their success.

“I have to learn when to lead and I have to learn when to follow… and a lot of men hear this and say, ‘What do you mean, follow your woman?’”

This approach led to one of the most notorious aspects of their marriage: a 50/50 financial split. This discovery sparked debates about gender roles and perceptions of masculinity in relationships. But Wade takes it calmly, confident in their arrangement and his identity.

“You know, you have to be really confident when you’re dealing with a woman who makes her own bread,” Reese said. “For example, he can hop on a (private jet) whenever he wants. Like, she got their life, so you have to be safe in what you do and how you move.

A starring role in the estimated $40 million series “Being Mary Jane” gives their partnership financial strength. Wade said she often insists on dividing everything equally.

“Sometimes he dominates me. He’ll swell up a little and say, “I’ll pay… I’ll pay half.”

However, this is not always the case. There are also times when Union says, “You got it, big dog,” leaving him for everything.

Union faced public criticism for her comments about halving household expenses. In 2023, she explained why she linked up with Wade, citing her desire to contribute rather than rely solely on him.

In an interview with Bloomberg Originals’ Idea Generation, Union said: “It’s weird to say I’m the head of the family because in this household we split everything 50/50.”

Their 50/50 financial arrangement isn’t the only way their marriage defies tradition.

In the last ten years since they said “I do,” Wade and Union have built a blended family that seems to suit them.

The way I approach fatherhood…#HappyFathersDay pic.twitter.com/NDjcd0qOBZ

— DWade (@DwyaneWade) June 17, 2024

Wade brought three children into the marriage – Zaire and Zaya (née Zion) from his previous relationship with Siohvaughn Funches, and Xavier, who was born during a short separation from Union.

Another non-traditional aspect of their family life was the decision to use a surrogate to welcome their daughter, Kaavia James, also known as “Shady Baby,” in 2018.

The conversation with Reese reveals that Wade’s childhood dream has become a reality – he spends his life with the woman he admired from afar as a young boy.