What's all the commotion? It's Wade, DWill visiting the Great Wall

Well, maybe not all his fault. But the Heat's international superstar is among the more impatient in his group as a painfully slow line for the final segment of the tour — a dicey toboggan ride that certainly wouldn't pass Disney safety standards — is threatening to turn a once-in-a-lifetime afternoon into a near-torturous experience.

Wade tries a diversion tactic to slip his way to the front of the pack.

"Look, it's Kobe!"

No dice. Not even a mention of China's adopted basketball hero Kobe Bryant could budge this pack.

It's hopeless. Unless, of course, the trusty celebrity card works at this high an altitude.

Has it ever failed? Within moments, Wade and his entire crew, which includes fellow Team USA members Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets and Deron Williams of the Utah Jazz, are being ushered to the side entrance. Apparently even the Mutianyu portion of the Great Wall has a VIP section.

Commence chaos.

The troop of nearly 20 has to avoid incoming chairlifts, trust rickety equipment and withstand pushy employees who are trying to get this covert operation completed as quickly as possible.

Only, there's no way to keep it a secret, so the crowd that was once begging for pictures with Wade is now actually booing him. Kind of loudly.

Wade tries to diffuse the situation by doing his best Arnold Schwarzenegger impression — "Do it now! Get in the chopper!" — until finally a petrified publicist, Lisa Joseph, kicks off the Great exodus by screaming her way down the mountain.

It's a priceless Olympic moment for Wade, who is actually enjoying these Games — the second for the 26-year-old — and enjoying a personal renaissance following a tumultuous last 18 months.

Four years ago Wade played a minor role on an Olympic basketball team that came home with bronze medals and hanging heads.

And just five months ago, Wade prematurely ended his basketball season with a nagging knee injury that required months of offseason rehabilitation and prompted questions of whether Wade was already past his prime.

If Wade hasn't demonstrated his health thoroughly enough through his recent run of impressive Olympic performances — the kind that have helped this version of Team USA dominate like Dream Teams of old — his Great Wall performance on this hazy Sunday afternoon can only reinforce it.

It's Wade, after all, who's leading some of the younger legs in the group racing up the steepest climb of the trip.

"Chop 'em" he yells before taking off at full speed up uneven steps designed for people with significantly smaller feet.

Recent comments

Add your comment