Dwyane Wade knows a thing or two about greatness. A three-time NBA champion, 2006 Finals MVP, and 13-time All-Star, he carried the Miami Heat for over a decade and delivered the franchise’s first title. So when the Hall of Famer sat down with GQ Sports in 2025 to reveal his all-time starting five, the basketball world leaned in. And, true to form, Wade didn’t just copy-paste the usual suspects. He shook things up—most notably at point guard, where he snubbed the player many consider the greatest floor general ever. What emerged was a lineup so balanced, so lethal, that it would probably break the league if it ever took the court.

Stephen Curry over Magic Johnson—why?

Magic Johnson is the gold standard at point guard. Five rings, the face of Showtime, a 6-foot-9 passer who redefined the position. Yet Wade picked Stephen Curry. Why on earth would anyone do that? Because the game has changed, and so have the demands of a superstar point guard. Curry isn’t just the greatest shooter ever—he’s an offensive ecosystem all by himself. He doesn’t need the ball to warp a defense. Off-ball, he’s a gravitational nightmare, dragging defenders 30 feet from the hoop and opening up driving lanes for everyone else. In a lineup stacked with ball-dominant legends, Curry is the ultimate floor-spacer. Magic, for all his brilliance, needed the rock in his hands to orchestrate. Curry allows Wade’s other four picks to operate at peak capacity without bottlenecking the offense.

And let’s not forget Curry’s resume: four rings, two MVPs (the only unanimous one in history), and the all-time leader in three-pointers. He didn’t just master the long ball; he made it the most important shot in the sport. As Wade put it, Curry is “one of the most unique offensive forces the game has ever seen.” That’s not hyperbole—it’s a fact. So while Magic loyalists might cry foul, the choice makes perfect strategic sense.

The Shooting Guard: Michael Jordan, Obviously

No all-time starting five is complete without His Airness. Wade didn’t even blink on this one. Michael Jordan is the standard for winning—six championships, six Finals MVPs, never needing a Game 7. He turned the Chicago Bulls into a dynasty and gate-kept titles from some of the best to ever play. Beyond the hardware, Jordan’s two-way dominance is unmatched: five MVPs, ten scoring titles, and a Defensive Player of the Year award. His career regular-season average of 30.1 points per game is still the highest in history.

What makes Jordan truly terrifying in this hypothetical lineup is his adaptability. Young MJ lived above the rim with acrobatic finishes. Older MJ perfected a surgical post game. He could slice you up on or off the ball, and his competitive fire would set the tone for the entire group. Wherever you stand in the GOAT debate—LeBron or Jordan—it’s impossible to argue against Wade’s choice here.

Small Forward? No, Kobe Bryant at the Three

Here’s where Wade gets sneaky. Instead of plugging in a traditional small forward, he slid Kobe Bryant to the three spot. Kobe, the closest thing to Jordan we’ll ever see, was a shooting guard by trade. But in this lineup, with MJ already manning the two, why not have the Mamba at small forward? Kobe himself admitted he “stole” all of Jordan’s moves. The footwork, the fadeaway, the killer instinct—it’s all there. Five rings, two Finals MVPs, an 81-point game, and a farewell 60-point masterpiece. Kobe’s mentality ensures nobody would take a possession off.

Wade essentially created the most relentless wing duo imaginable. Defensively, both Jordan and Kobe were All-Defensive stalwarts. Offensively, they’d torture any perimeter defender. The length, the tenacity, the scoring versatility—good luck stopping that.

LeBron James: The King at the Four

LeBron James is the greatest small forward ever, but Wade bumped him to power forward. Why? Because this team needed a point-forward—a player who could supercharge everyone else’s strengths while being a scoring threat himself. LeBron’s basketball IQ and passing are arguably the best parts of his game. With Curry spraying threes, Jordan and Kobe slicing defenses, and a dominant center waiting inside, James becomes the ultimate connector.

We’re talking about the league’s all-time leading scorer, a four-time champion, and the model of longevity (23 seasons and counting as of 2026). He’s taken some mediocre rosters to the Finals ten times. In this fantasy five, his ability to read the floor, hit cutters, and orchestrate fast breaks would make the unit unstoppable. Plus, at 6-foot-9 and built like a tank, he’d handle the physicality of the four spot just fine.

Shaquille O’Neal: The Most Dominant Force Ever

Rounding out the lineup is the big diesel himself, Shaquille O’Neal. Wade’s former running mate in Miami and the most physically overwhelming player in NBA history. At his peak, Shaq was a cheat code. No matter how many bodies you threw at him, he’d still bully his way to the rim. Three Lakers rings and a Heat title don’t even capture the fear he instilled. Prime Shaq forced franchises to carry multiple big men just to absorb fouls.

But here’s the overlooked detail: Shaq had a soft touch around the basket and surprising agility for a 7-foot-1, 325-pound giant. In this lineup, with four perimeter threats drawing attention, O’Neal would see constant single coverage—and that’s a barbecue chicken alert all night long. Imagine him catching lobs from LeBron or Curry drawing the center out only for Shaq to roll to the hoop. The spacing and inside-out balance would be unfair.

Why This Lineup Actually Works

Wade’s starting five isn’t just a collection of GOATs—it’s a meticulously crafted unit. You have the greatest off-ball threat (Curry), the two most competitive scorers ever (Jordan and Kobe), the ultimate playmaking forward (LeBron), and the most dominant inside presence (Shaq). Every position complements the others. There’s scoring at all three levels, elite help defense (Jordan, Kobe, LeBron), and enough basketball IQ to fill a library.

Could this team beat any fictional all-time squad? Probably. Wade’s only controversial omission is Magic, but the reasoning holds up in the modern game. As the league continues to evolve in 2026, the value of shooting and spacing has never been higher. Wade built a unit that respects history while weaponizing the modern blueprint. So next time someone asks what the perfect starting five looks like, just point them to Dwyane Wade’s masterpiece. 🏀