Dwyane Wade on 2019 NBA All-Star Voting: 'I'm Not Picking Me'

Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade told reporters Friday that he wouldn't choose himself to play in this year's NBA All-Star Game.

"If I'm choosing an All-Star, I'm not picking me," he said, per Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. "It's not an indictment on anything, but guys that deserve to be All-Stars will be All-Stars."

He continued:        

"For the first time, I actually agree with [TNT analyst] Charles Barkley and what he said. It's a lot of guys that get their first chance to be All-Stars, and if they deserve it, then they deserve it and they should have those spots. I appreciate the love from my fans to even vote me, to have as many votes as they did. But from an All-Star standpoint, there's multiple guys that deserve to be in there and I hope they get their opportunity."

Wade was third in the All-Star voting for Eastern Conference starting guards (behind Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker). He needed a top-two finish to earn the honor.

The 16-year veteran, who is retiring at the end of the season, is a surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer who has made 12 All-Star games and eight All-NBA teams. The three-time NBA champion has stayed productive at age 37, posting 13.8 points, 4.2 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game off the bench.

If the coaches select Wade as a reserve this year, it would be to honor his basketball legacy. That isn't uncommon in sports. Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. notably made the 2001 MLB All-Star Game despite a downswing in his performance at age 40.

Fans will find out whether Wade made the East's squad Thursday during TNT's NBA Tip-Off, which begins at 7 p.m. ET. The 2019 All-Star Game will take place Feb. 17 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, at 8 p.m.