National Basketball Association

Wade says Miami fans should hold their boos when LeBron returns for Christmas

Published Dec. 22, 2014 10:42 p.m. ET

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The chances of LeBron James returning to Miami without being booed are slim to none.

But former teammate Dwyane Wade hopes that Heat fans will show at least some support, however brief it is. If it were up to Wade, the Cleveland Cavaliers star would receive nothing but praise when he returns to Miami for the Cavs' Christmas Day matchup with the Heat.

But the Miami guard knows that's not realistic.

"It's going to be a mixture," Wade told Bleacher Report in a recent interview. "How I think he should be received is a little different. The man helped take us to places we've only been once before he got here. So I think he should be received very well for that at the start of the game. And then when the game comes on, then do what you've got to do (as fans)."

It's likely that Heat fans will boo James every time he touches the ball, but as Wade said, that should come after an ovation at the game's start.

"At the end of the day, the guy is an amazing basketball player, and everyone is a fan of the game," Wade said. "So 'oohs and ahhs,' they come before boos sometimes. I hope our fans are just appreciative of what he brought to this organization in four years."

Regardless of whether Heat fans have hard feelings about James signing with Cleveland in the offseason, Wade doesn't have any. In fact, he said the two speak more than ever now that they're no longer teammates.

"Just because we're used to leaning on each other a little bit," Wade said. "It's still good to reach out to a person and talk."

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