We at Crank Up The HEAT thank Benny Vargas, lead writer for AllUCanHeat.com for the following story:

There is a famous Spanish proverb that states, “the darkest hour is just before dawn.”

As he sits back  in a chair for our exclusive interview, you can see a man who is finally starting to see that light.

A bittersweet summer has come and gone for Dwyane Wade.

During the last few months he has been in and out of court for various legal proceedings. To say he has endured a hectic and wrenching off-season would be an understatement. Wade has had to battle for his kids and his reputation, all the while trying to keep up with the many demands placed upon him for being who he is.

Usually a person looks forward to the end of their work day or week. They count the minutes until they can say they’re on vacation. Well for Wade, it’s quite the opposite. This is a man who can’t wait to get back to work.

For it is there, on an NBA court, where all the worries and burdens this summer has brought will soon be wiped away like the sweat off his brow. The sooner he has a basketball uniform on instead of a business suit, the better.

Wade couldn’t partake in the FIBA World Championships because of all the pressing matters he had to tend to. This is something that pains him because he takes great pride in wearing the Team USA jersey.

For Wade, there is no grander stage or bigger thrill than playing for his country.

“The biggest stage is the Olympics or when [you're] playing for your country hands down. In the NBA you’re playing for your respective team and your community but when you’re playing for [Team USA] you’re playing for everyone in your country. It’s the world’s game and it means everything to have USA across your jersey.”

Despite missing out on Team USA’s triumphant run through the world championships, Wade has a lot to look forward to.This off-season Pat Riley and the Miami Heat managed to capitalize on the free agency period like no other team ever has before by luring LeBron James and Chris Bosh to join Wade in South Florida.

Much has been made about whether this new star-studded line up could manage to co-exist on the same team. There have been the countless dumb cliche’s about “Alpha Dogs” and how Wade and James both need the ball in their hands at all times.

There was even one report in the Miami Herald on July 7th that stated people in Wade’s camp indicated he didn’t really want James to come to Miami. When we asked if there was any truth to that report, Wade quickly replied, “No, plain and simple.”

Wades athleticism is matched by his intellect. Every answer he gave during our interview seemed to be well thought out and enlightened.

For example, when asked what his favorite Gabrielle Union movie was, Wade smiled and smartly said, “All of em.”

This is a guy who sees the big picture. He glides through what to say and what to do at all times.

He also fully understands that thanks to this summer, he and his new teammates in Miami are on the verge of being part of something special.

Wade doesn’t care for the individual accolades as much as fans and those in the press do. He’s got an NBA Finals MVP, a league scoring title and an All Star MVP to boot. Still none of that compares with the allure and shine of seeing his reflection on the Larry O’Brien trophy.

Plain and simple, Wade loves to win. It’s what he wants more than anything else when it comes to basketball.

When asked to look back on his career up to this point of his life and give what he feels is his best moment on a basketball court, between tearing down the nets to reach the Final Four in 2003, winning the NBA Finals in 2006 or being a part of an Olympic gold medal team in 2008, Wade stopped for a second and took a deep breath.

“That’s tough. They’re all special moments in my life. If I had to pick one I’d say the 2006 championship. That was my first championship that I really won on a big level. I got to the Final Four but [we] didn’t win it. I won a couple conference championships but it isn’t the same as winning it all. So the ‘06 Finals was my best moment and then the Olympics came after that and [it] was very special of course, but ‘06 would be it.”

Now the challenge for him is what it will take to get back to that mountain top. What can he do to guide Miami to another NBA Finals?

The pieces have been put together for that to occur. Thanks to all the assembling, all the wheeling and dealing, Miami is poised to be a title contender for years to come.

“One thing I know for sure is I expect to be able to compete for a title during the next six years. I don’t know if we’re gonna win them, no one knows until they’re hoisting that trophy. But I do expect us to compete for them. Pat did what he needed to help get us to a Finals, now we have to go out there and take care of the rest.”

This led us to our next question on whether Pat Riley ever mentioned to him this off-season that he was contemplating a return to coaching.

“It really wasn’t brought up. We had a focal point this summer and that was to build a team we thought we wanted. I know that [rumor] was out there all the time, but it never came past my email or my phone.”

While his input was sought throughout the free agency period, Wade was never approached regarding the possibility of Shaq rejoining the organization.

“That wasn’t my call and it’s something that was never [brought] up to me.”

Wade has now set his sights on the upcoming season and dethroning the champion Los Angeles Lakers, a team which Miami would have swept last season, despite an inferior line up, if not for Kobe Bryant buzzer beater at the Staples Center.

A buzzer beater which Wade said was, “one of the luckiest shots I’ve ever been a part of.”

Despite feeling reinvigorated because of this summer’s additions and confident in the roster that will be taking the court with him next season, Wade wouldn’t make as bold a prediction as James did during the Miami Heat’s introduction ceremony when it came to how many titles the Heat would win in the next six seasons.

“I wish I knew that, but I’m not Bron [and] I’m not going to say five, six, seven.” Wade responded as he nonchalantly, without looking, extended four digits and silently counted them off one by one as he finished his sentence.

Take Wade’s dexterous response as you may, but there was a subliminal signal indicating he expects at least four titles in the next six years.

If that is indeed the case, then the NBA had best be prepared for a Miami Heat dynasty to reign supreme over the entire basketball world for years to come.

The post Crank Up The HEAT Exclusive: Does Dwyane Wade Expect Four Heat Titles in Six Years appeared first on The World Champion Crank Up The HEAT.

I had the pleasure of interviewing one of the most underrated players in the Miami Heat roster. Some don’t even know his name, but I do. For me, he’s an inspiration and if no one learns nothing from this man, the one thing I learned is, dedication and hard work does pay off.

Pedro Heizer: Is there any special meaning behind your name?

Yakhouba Diawara: My name, Yakhouba was my grandfather’s name. It means a lot to me.

PH: You grew up in France, tell me, how was that?

YD: It was great! It’s a beautiful country. I had some good days and I had some bad days, but I learned a lot there.

PH: At what age did you come to the United States?

YD: I moved to the United States when I was 18.

PH: At what age did you fall in love with the game of basketball?

YD: I fell in love with the game at the age of 16. At the time, I was playing soccer.

PH: How did you become involved with the game of basketball? And who did you grow up idolizing?

YD: Well at the time, I was a huge Charles Barkley fan. I liked what he did and so I became involved with the game that way. I could be seen wearing number 34 everywhere.

PH: How was it playing for the French National team?

YD: It’s great! I love it! Playing against other countries is a great feeling.

PH: What’s more competitive? The NBA or the Euro-League?

YD: I personally think that both have their own advantages and disadvantages. But they are both very competitive.

PH: Yakhouba, when you were a free-agent last summer, what were some of the reasons you chose to sign with the Miami Heat?

YD: Well, I wanted a change of scenery, culture, team, and city. And the Heat were my first summer team I every played for.

PH: Coming in to the 2008-2009 season, knowing that the Heat only won 15 games the year before, what were some of the thoughts going through your mind at the time?

YD: I knew that they went through a really hard time only winning 15 games the previous season. But the challenge was great, I wanted to come and be part of history. (being only the second team to win 5 games the previous season and go to the playoffs the next)

PH: What franchise did you like playing for? The Denver Nuggets or the Miami Heat?

YD: Oh, hmm… I like both of them. I enjoyed my time in Denver and now i’m enjoying my time here in South Beach.

PH: You played with two superstars in Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony. What are the strong and weak points of both these players? What do you like about them?

YD: I played with three superstars. I also played alongside [Allen] Iverson when I was with the Nuggets. I like all three of them. They are all very confident players and that’s what we need in the NBA.

PH: Erik Spoelstra is a pupil of Pat Riley. Riley was notorious for having gruesome practices that would make the likes of Alonzo Mourning and Patrick Ewing fall to their knees. Is coach Spo’s practices as hard?

YD: Well they are very similar, probably the same. Coach Spo learned from Pat for may years so he picked it up where Riley left off.

PH: Take us through a day in the life of Yakhouba Diawara during the regular NBA season.

YD: Well, I get up in the morning get breakfast and go to practice for a couple of  hours and lift weights , then I get a massage at the gym. After that, I get lunch with my wife and relax for the rest of the day. I like to see movies or go shopping, go to a nice dinner, see friends, or play video games

PH: Do you have any pre-game rituals?

YD: Hmm, not really. It depends how i feel

PH: For our young fans out there, what would you say it takes to get to the NBA level of play?

YD: Listen , work really hard. Play hard and don’t have any regrets in life , always believe your self

PH: You just opted to stay with your contract and return to the Heat for your last year under contract. Now, the question every Heat fan wants to know, are you going to stay in Miami after next season?

YD: I am happy where I am right now, I am enjoying everyday of it

PH: You were there this season witnessing Dwyane Wade make magic and have the MVP-Caliber season he did. Tell us, how was it? How focused was he during the entire season? Do you feel as if he played with a chip on his shoulders?

YD: He had his best season since 2006 when they won championship , its was great to see him at 100 %. He’s a great leader on and off the field. It was a great experience.

PH: You guys lost in 7 games to the Hawks in the 1st round of the playoffs. Was that a hard pill to shallow?

YD: Yes, it was very hard , but we had plenty of chances to win and we missed it

PH: Finally, what can Heat-Nation expect next season from the Miami Heat and from Yakhouba Diawara?

YD: From the Heat a better season. And from me, a new player is coming. I have been working hard this summer on details and specific stuff on my game. You will see it and be surprised hahaha

The post Exclusive Interview with Heat Forward Yakhouba Diawara appeared first on The World Champion Crank Up The HEAT.