Former Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade and his wife Gabrielle Union face scrutiny after his son, conceived during their brief split, was absent in photos from the family gathering.
- Nov 5, 2024
AceShowbiz - Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade faced criticism for not including one of his children at a party held to mark his latest milestone.
Dwyane was honored with a statue by Miami Heat for his contributions as an all-time leading scorer and a key member of their championship teams. He and wife Gabrielle threw a party to celebrate it.
The event was attended by Dwyane's children from previous relationships: Zaire & Zaya, his nephew Dahveon, as well as his and Gabrielle's daughter Kaavia. The kids were dressed in formal attire, and Gabrielle wore a fitted black sequined halter-top gown. Dwyane was decked out in a tuxedo reminiscent of James Bond.
However, when Gabrielle Union shared photos from the gathering, some followers questioned the absence of his son Xavier Wade.
Xavier was born to "Basketball Wives" alum Aja Metoyer in 2013 and conceived while Dwyane was on a break with Gabrielle. Dwyane eventually split from Aja and got back together with Gabrielle before the couple later tied the knot in 2014. Wade, who has four children from different relationships, claimed he maintained a bond with Xavier despite not living with the boy.
In his 2021 memoir, Dwyane wrote about the challenges of fatherhood while Xavier lived separately. He stressed the importance of letting Xavier know he is loved and that distance did not diminish his love for him.
Dwyane has previously admitted that telling Gabrielle he fathered Xavier during a brief breakup was the hardest thing he ever had to do. For her part, Gabrielle has remained mostly silent on the topic.
While some fans criticized Gabrielle for Xavier's absence at the event, others defended her, arguing that she had no control over the situation. They noted that Xavier's mother, Aja Metoyer, may have preferred to keep him out of the spotlight.
