October 28, 2026
Bill Streicher/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Dean Wade's shockingly simple handshake with LeBron James went viral last week.
INDIANAPOLIS – Dean Wade laughed when the subject came up. He is playing with LeBron James, the NBA's all-time leading scorer, and that is their handshake?
"Oh yeah," Wade said. "I've done that handshake for a few years now."
NBC Sports Philadelphia's cameras are documenting pregame lineup introductions with public address announcer Matt Cord on the microphone for his 29th and final season. On Monday, James was announced last with Joel Embiid sidelined.
The cameras followed the 41-year-old as he went through incredibly elaborate handshakes with his teammates, from Tyrese Maxey to Jaylen Brown, VJ Edgecombe and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Right in the middle of all of those came what has now gone viral: Wade and James performing the most simple handshake imaginable. Textbook:
LeBron’s handshake with Dean Wade vs. the rest of his teammates. 🤣🤣🤣
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 26, 2026
(via @MrBuckBuckNBA)
pic.twitter.com/L50eLw1PrO
There was no homage being paid here. That is just how Wade shakes hands with teammates, he said. He has been doing it dating back to his time in Cleveland, and frequently shakes hands with all of his Sixers teammates the same way.
"I think it's hilarious," Wade said. "Obviously, everyone else does, too, so I love it."
MORE: Are the Sixers ready for the gauntlet that is the Eastern Conference?
