Dwyane Wade Starts Fantasy Camp
You can now take your talents to South Beach, thanks to LeBron's Heat teammate Dwyane Wade.
Wade, a brand Jordan endorser, is hoping to fill the high-end fantasy camp void now that Jordan himself has temporarily shelved his Michael Jordan Senior Flight School as he focuses his attention on the team he owns, the Charlotte Bobcats.
It's an interesting move given that active players really haven't gotten into the fantasy market. While Duke's Coach K and Syracuse's Jim Boeheim have their camps, there's something to what Jordan offered: A chance to do drills with him and even play him a game of one-on-one.
Wade's cousin Antoine, who came up with the idea and Benny Fragela, owner of CBF Sports Management, a basketball event management company, say the Wade camp will follow the same model. Wade, they said, will be an integral part of the camp, which takes place from August 18-21 at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami, where the hotel's ballroom will be fitted with basketball courts.
Wade's campis, predictably, not cheap. The cost for a camper, who must be at least 35 years old, is $12,500. Jordan's camp, which took place in Las Vegas, was $15,000.
Like the Jordan camp, the Wade camp will give campers a Jordan brand jersey, sweats, shorts and personalized shoes. The camp also hopes to offer a unique high end piece, similar to the ring Jordan used to give his campers, Antoine said.
Antoine said he has full commitments from about 15 people so far, some of whom have played at the Jordan camp. His goal is to get 100 participants.
Sure to draw extra interest is Wade's T-Mobile sidekick and TNT broadcaster Charles Barkley, who will attend the camp. Other "counselors" include Heat coach Eric Spoelstra and Buzz Williams, head basketball coach at Marquette, where Wade played his college ball.
The camp is sponsored by the Jordan brand, Gatorade and T-Mobile, which all sponsor Wade.
Wade already has camps for kids. He hosts a for-profit camp in Florida each summer and a free camp in his hometown of Robbins, Ill.
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