Dwyane Wade interview Nagging shoulder and knee injuries sidelined Dwyane Wade last season as the Miami Heat plummeted to 15 wins. But a healthy Wade proved what he could do in the Beijing Olympics this summer, leading the team of stars in scoring en route to the gold medal. The All-Star playmaker returns from injury this season with a bit of a chip on his shoulder, no Shaq O’Neal in the middle and a new running mate in rookie phenom, No. 2 overall pick, Michael Beasley.

Insidehoops.com caught up with D-Wade on opening night October 29 in Madison Square Garden and along with a few other reporters interviewed him.

Question: The starting lineup features two of the most talked about rookies in No. 2 pick, Michael Beasley and NCAA Champ hero Mario Chalmers. What were your impressions of the rookies tonight?

Dwyane Wade: “Michael didn’t have his best game. He still has a lot of growing to do. I thought Chalmers played excellent. He’s getting better every game. He had a well-rounded game overall, finishing with seven rebounds. That’s what you want every game, a well-rounded performance. The main thing with Michael is he’s so talented and you have a lot of different people saying a lot of different things about him. He’s game is so much more than just his offense. He’s going to be a big part of the Miami Heat. We just have to give him some time.”

Question: The Heat managed only 15 wins last season without you. How tough is it to start the 2008-09 campaign 0-1 with some high expectations now that you’re back in the lineup?

Dwyane Wade: “The best way to cure anything is to go out and play. We saw some good things in the second half. The way we played late is how we have to play all the time. We have to play hectic basketball on both ends of the floor. It’s not traditional Miami Heat basketball, but if we want to win, that’s how we are going to have to play this year. Once everyone understands that, we’ll be fine.”

Question: Dwyane, you finished with a team-high 26 points, but fouled out in the closing minutes Wednesday night in the season opener. The Heat came roaring back against the Knicks, but couldn’t pull it out in a 120-115 loss. Put tonight’s game in perspective?

Dwyane Wade: “I felt we didn’t play as a team tonight, but we’re a young team and we’re still learning. When things don’t start to go smooth, that’s when you start getting into yourself on both ends of the floor. Defensively you’re not talking and offensively, the ball isn’t moving. That’s what happened to us in the first half and that’s how we got behind the eight ball. You start forcing shots and lose your rhythm. Losing is always disappointing. I got frustrated tonight, but I’ve already moved on and that’s what I told the guys tonight.”

Question: Dwyane you’re only 26, but you’re a veteran on this rookie laced team. How do you define a leader? How important is it to you to be the guy that the team looks up to?

Dwyane Wade: “There are different kinds of leaders. I think they’re two ways to show leadership. One is by being a vocal leader. The second is by the way you play. I’ll be the first guy to be positive vocally, but I also try to lead with my play on the floor. If I play 41 minutes a night, I’m going to play all 41 hard. I’m going to make mistakes just like everyone else mistakes, I’m human, but you have to play hard. I’ve been on a rebuilding team like this before and I know how it is. I know how it could be when a team gets down, but I realize it could be good here, if we get something going.”

Question: Fresh off the Olympics right into the pre-season, you didn’t have much time to rest. How are you feeling, are you completely healthy? Are you tired?

Dwyane Wade: “No, I’m not tired, I’m 26-years-old. I’m fully healthy. I’ve been preparing for the season for a while now. The Olympics helped, actually. I play 41 minutes a night. I felt good tonight. But I know I’m going to get better as the season goes along, that’s just how it is.”

Question: How much has last year’s losing season and all of your injuries motivated you?

Dwyane Wade: “It’s motivated a lot. In fact, it motivated me through the Olympics. No one wants to go through a losing season, plus myself being injured really motivated me to get back healthy. I just want to stay motivated. It’s a long season.”