Al Capone official mugshot

Happy 28 to all-world Heat guard Dwyane Wade.

You share the same day of birth as Kid Rock (39), Jim Carey (48), Muhammad Ali (68), James Earl Jones (79), and fellow Chicago native and infamous gangster Al Capone – born January 17, 1899, died January 25, 1947.

Wade may well be giving himself his own birthday present. After suffering through the worst start to a season in his 6 year pro career, prompting detractors to question everything from his short-term fitness to his long-term potential, Dwyane has resurrected his season in recent weeks.

Ironically, it has coincided with injury. Make no mistake, Wade is playing through pain. He injured his right wrist when he jammed a basketball against the rim on a missed dunk attempt on a December 11 home game vs. the Mavericks. He then aggravated the wrist of his shooting hand with 1:22 left in the first quarter of Monday’s game at Utah when he lunged for a loose ball and banged his arm.

Since that time, Wade has been playing his best basketball of the season. In the month of January, he’s averaging 30 points (on 51% shooting), 6.9 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game.

Dwyane’s take on the injury:

It’s helped me mechanically. Normally, I’m a line-drive shooter, so I have to put the ball over the rim a little more, because I don’t have the rotation and wrist that I want to. So I’ve had to shoot it a little higher and it’s helped me out a little bit.

Wade went on to comment that his wrist might not have a chance to fully heal until he has a chance to rest it  in the off-season.

Enjoy the day, Dwyane.