Memory Lane: Dwyane Wade Still Regrets LeBron James’ Infamous ‘Not One, Not Two’ Promise
It was one of the most iconic—and controversial—moments in NBA free agency history. In the summer of 2010, LeBron James, freshly signed by the Miami Heat, stood on stage alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh and boldly proclaimed their championship aspirations: “Not one, not two, not three…”—a moment that instantly painted a target on the Heat’s back.
Now, over a decade later, Dwyane Wade admits that he still has regrets about that infamous moment. In a recent reflection, Wade shared that while the excitement was real, the public display of bravado put unnecessary pressure on the newly formed Big Three.
“We got caught up in the moment,” Wade has said in past interviews. “It wasn’t meant to be disrespectful, but looking back, we handed our critics fuel on a silver platter.”
Indeed, the Heat became the most scrutinized team in the league overnight. Every loss felt magnified. Every mistake was headline news. And while Miami did go on to make four consecutive NBA Finals appearances—winning two—the lofty expectations set that night in 2010 made anything less than dominance feel like failure.
Wade’s regret isn’t about ambition—it’s about optics. The Heat could’ve embraced the journey with humility instead of hyped declarations. For a team that would become one of the most formidable dynasties of the era, the legacy of “Not one, not two…” remains a blemish in Wade’s eyes.
Still, with two titles, countless memories, and a culture that persists, the Heat’s Big Three left their mark. But as Wade walks down memory lane, he knows that sometimes less talk—and more winning—is the better look.
