It's time for Wade to be Heat leader, and he knows it

MIAMI — Dwyane Wade strode to the podium with a smile, and without a limp.

"Six media days," he joked. "Wow. I'm getting old."

Yet much is new for the 26-year-old as his team's 2008 training camp begins. Body repaired. Confidence restored. Outlook refreshed.

Role reshaped.

"I'm the leader," Wade said.

No longer is that in dispute. Not with Shaquille O'Neal in the desert, Erik Spoelstra in Pat Riley's place, Alonzo Mourning inactive for a while if not forever. Wade's young coach needs a partner. Wade's young team needs a guide.

Nor is there any question about which Heat player most needs Wade's guidance, and where he should direct most of his attention. That player arrived for his round of interviews crooning Britney Spears' classic Hit Me Baby One More Time, then kept the comedy hits coming throughout the afternoon. That player is the one who, all kidding aside, must quickly develop into a mature player and teammate, someone Wade would not even think to leave upon his contract's expiration in 2010.

That player is Michael Beasley.

That is what these next two seasons are mostly about:

NBA teams generally struggle to win anything significant without two compatible stars. So how will Wade and Beasley connect? Will Beasley, the singular focus at other levels, learn to defer to Wade? Will Wade enjoy playing with Beasley?

"We played a couple of pickup games," Beasley said. "Been on the same team. I must say, we do not lose a lot. I think we play good together. I just sit back and sometimes just find myself watching, being a spectator, because he's amazing."

It's more important that Beasley finds himself listening. To Spoelstra, who will limit his minutes unless he defends. To Riley, who still casts a shadow. To Udonis Haslem, with whom Beasley has established "a big brother, little brother" relationship. Mostly, to Wade. With the futures of Haslem and Shawn Marion in doubt, it will likely fall upon Wade and Beasley to lead the Heat into the century's second decade. It falls mostly to Wade in this one.