In a recent interview, the retired NBA alum, 42, opened up about how he told his family that he was nominated for an Oscar. Wade, who executive produced the 2023 documentary The Barber Of Little Rock, has been nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Documentary Short category.

Initially, Wade says his family’s reaction was minimal. He tells that all they said was, “That’s cool.”

However, his daughter Zaya realized how cool the honor was in a later conversation.

“So I would say, to give my family a little…to cut them some slack a little bit. And so many things that go on in my life, that happens, that they’d be like, ‘Wait, you got nominated for an Oscar?’ ” he continues.

“I was having dinner with Zaya, my 16-year-old daughter, and I was like, ‘Oh, let me share. Let’s have a little cheers moment. Share some news that your dad is nominated for an Oscar with his production company.’ And she was like, ‘Really? For what?'”

“And I shared with her that it was Barber of Little Rock, and she said, ‘Wait a minute. My friends have been talking about it. They’ve watched it, they’ve seen it.'”

“So that was a cool moment to be able to let my daughter know that I’m on that side of the world, and we’re telling some, and highlighting some really cool stories that are meaningful and impactful.”

Wade shares two children with ex-wife Siovaughn Funches: Zaire, 22, and Zaya, 16, as well as a son, Xavier, 10, with Aja Metoyer. In 2018, Wade and his wife, actress Gabrielle Union, welcomed a daughter, Kaavia James, 5. Wade is also the legal guardian of his nephew, Dahveon Morris, 21.

The basketball legend noted how making sure his daughter Zaya feels “safe” in confiding to him is key, especially given how “most people are more open with their best friends — people you choose than what you’ve been given.” 

“I don’t want to just be one of those people who’s just been given to Zaya and she doesn’t feel open and confident in me,” he said of his daughter, who came out as transgender in 2020. “I want to show her what unconditional love looks like so she can use me as this sounding board through life.” 

“I feel like it’s shown in Zaya,” he added of his unconditional love. “It’s shown in Zaya through the world because of her being a part of the trans community.”