It was initially unclear what forced Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dwyane Wade to miss Friday night’s game against the Indiana Pacers. It was first reported that he was excused from the game due to a personal matter, but it wasn’t until Saturday that fans discovered what that matter was.
Wade left in order to mourn the loss of his longtime representative and friend, Henry Thomas. The NBA’s official Twitter account posted a tweet on Saturday afternoon to alert fans of Thomas’ tragic passing.
The NBA family mourns the passing of Henry Thomas. He was an important influence in the lives of countless players and a dear friend to so many around the league. Our thoughts and sympathies are with Henry’s family, friends and colleagues.
— NBA (@NBA) January 27, 2018
Wade took to social media to honor Thomas as well, posting a heartfelt message to his former agent along with a picture of both men from the day Wade was drafted into the NBA.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bed2f1QAzN3/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_ufi_control
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, no return date for Wade had been determined on Friday, but Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue asserted that the entire Cavs organization was behind him.
“Koby [Altman] talked to him and told him to take his time,” Lue said, referring to the Cavaliers general manager. “Personal matter. How much ever time he needs to take to get over what he’s going through, then he’ll be back.”
It’s good to see that everyone in the Cavs organization realizes that some things truly are bigger than basketball. Hopefully Wade will be back in Cleveland soon, but only after he has taken the necessary time to grieve the loss of his close friend.