Dwyane Wade, Travis Diener to raise money for literacy, MU facilities

Marquette men’s basketball legends Dwyane Wade and Travis Diener are teaming up again for the inaugural “Wade and Diener Home Court Weekend” in July to raise money to improve literacy around the Milwaukee area and help improve Marquette basketball facilities.

Tickets are available for three events that are scheduled to take place July 16-17 with ticket sales and sponsorships going to the Tragil Wade-Johnson Summer Reading Program at Marquette, the Visit Milwaukee Foundation and Marquette Basketball facilities.

In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel after a girls basketball camp ended on June 15, Wade and Diener talked about how important it is to give back to the local community.

Wade said the Tragil Wade-Johnson Summer Reading Program is named for his sister who encouraged him to value reading and education.

“We understand the importance of comprehension. We understand the importance of what reading does for you,” Wade said, adding some kids from disenfranchised backgrounds struggle with reading. “It’s a foundation kind of move for us, to get these kids that are a very young age and teach them a very important skill and exercise that skill. That’s going to be one of the most important skills that they will have.”

The two-day event is giving local Marquette fans multiple opportunities to interact with Wade and Diener.

• July 16: “Court to Cork” brings Wade and Diener behind the bar as celebrity bartenders at Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen, 320 E. Clybourn St., Milwaukee, for a night of drinks, light food and socializing. General admission is $35, VIP is $95.

• July 17: “Pages and Plates” brings together storytelling with a dinner experience at Lupi and Iris. Dinner service starts at 7 p.m. and costs $275 for one ticket, $500 for two tickets and $1,000 for four tickets.

• July 17 (before dinner event): “Wade vs. Diener Weekend Elite Clinic” where the two former professionals plan to help hone the basketball skills of elementary boys and girls in third through eighth grade. Two sessions will be held from 9-11 a.m. and noon to 2 p.m. The event takes place at The Facility, 10725 N. Executive Court, Mequon.

July 16: “Court to Cork” brings Wade and Diener behind the bar as celebrity bartenders at Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen, 320 E. Clybourn St., Milwaukee, for a night of drinks, light food and socializing. General admission is $35, VIP is $95.

July 17: “Pages and Plates” brings together storytelling with a dinner experience at Lupi and Iris. Dinner service starts at 7 p.m. and costs $275 for one ticket, $500 for two tickets and $1,000 for four tickets.

July 17 (before dinner event): “Wade vs. Diener Weekend Elite Clinic” where the two former professionals plan to help hone the basketball skills of elementary boys and girls in third through eighth grade. Two sessions will be held from 9-11 a.m. and noon to 2 p.m. The event takes place at The Facility, 10725 N. Executive Court, Mequon.

Wade said the programming is more than just improving reading, but also getting readers to understand the power of words.

“We want them to go off and have a successful life. We want them to be community leaders but also we want them to be able to sign contracts and do all the things they’re going to do in life, but we want them to know what they’re doing and understand what they’re doing,” Wade said.

Wade and Diener are fondly remembered for leading Marquette’s 2003 Final Four run. Wade went on to a 16-year hall of fame career winning three NBA championships with the Miami Heat and he also played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls.

Diener played five NBA seasons with the Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers and Portland Trailblazers.

The Tragil Wade-Johnson Summer Reading Program started in 2015 through the Wade’s World Foundation. According to Marquette’s website, the partnership prepares “future teachers and supporting Milwaukee’s schoolchildren in a new and inventive way.”

“You’re always trying to improve … nobody should ever think they know everything,” Diener said. “This situation, reading, tutoring, always trying to better yourself is absolutely promising for everybody and most importantly the kids that are trying to learn at the highest level.”

The summer reading program enrolls students going into their second, third and fourth grade for four weeks of structured literacy instruction. Through the program, 12 tutors work with groups of five students in each classroom.

The program supports the tutors through professional development so they will be prepared to help children in the classroom during the year.

“They have goals, they have aspirations to be educators, and to be able to have them [be a] part of that farm system – in a sense – has been really cool to see what some of the teachers have gone on to do,” Wade said. “It’s a great opportunity for them as well to continue something that they have passion in.”

The two-day event is also contributing to maintaining Marquette’s basketball facilities, something both of them have helped since their playing days more than 20 years ago.

“We’ve done that in a lot of ways. We did that 23 years ago and it’s still going from the standpoint of the success we were able to have as a team,” Wade said. “It feels good to help your program. The program that did so much more for Trav and I. … We would love to have a very long relationship with Marquette.”

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Dwyane Wade, Travis Diener to raise money for literacy, MU facilities