30 Seconds With Dwyane Wade Dwyane Wade, a seven-time N.B.A. All-Star, has won two championships with the Miami Heat and an Olympic gold medal. But he wants the top of his résumé to read like the title of his new memoir, "A Father First: How My Life Became Bigger Than Basketball." The book, written with Mim Eichler Rivas, chronicles Wade's life in and out of basketball, including his childhood, his championships and his winning custody of his sons, Zaire and Zion. Wade, 30, had surgery on his left knee after the N.B.A. finals. He appeared at the NBA Store in Manhattan recently for a book signing and discussion. What motivated you to write a book? I was motivated by what I was experiencing in life and what I was going through with the whole process of custody and everything. I looked up and I had no one I knew to give me advice about what to do and how to handle it. I wanted to share my experiences in my life to the point where being a father is the most important thing to me. What is the message for parents and children? There's many messages. But my biggest message is the title of the book. Be a father first. We have to take our place in our kids' lives and we have to be there, to be their role models, to be the ones who teach them all the little things and big things and not leave it up to the mothers just because they had them at birth. And when kids read it, they can get the opportunity to see how I dealt with my struggles and troubles to get to this point. Why did you decide to be so candid, addressing topics from your divorce to the ups and downs with Coach Erik Spoelstra? You write a book and you want things to be said in your own words. So many books come out now, and it's he said, she said. Nobody really knows the truth. So it was an opportunity to address things in my own words. Successful people cite many influential people in their lives. But David Hasselhoff? Me and my grandma had our special time together, and it was always watching "Knight Rider." I loved the show. I was a kid, and talking to a car is one of the coolest things ever. I thought, When I get older, that's what I'm going to have. A car that talks to me. Have you met Hasselhoff? It was cool to meet him. I told how much "Knight Rider" meant to me as a kid. He was shocked and very humble by me saying that. We had a great conversation just sitting there talking about how me and my grandmother, who is 91 now, had that special time together we'll always remember. How's your knee? I had a little cleanup done and I'm fine. I'm on my way back and I'll be ready for the season. In addition to your improved health, why do think the Heat can win the title again this season? We're all going to have be healthy for that to happen. And we have to continue to develop the team continuity we had last year. Then we'll be fine. What do you think about Dwight Howard's joining the Lakers and possibly challenging the Heat for the title? It was great for the Lakers to get a player like Dwight. He's one of the most dominant centers in our game, if not the most dominant. No one knows what's going to happen. For us, we're excited about the challenge. We look forward to playing against them. The Lakers now have a Big Three with Howard, Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant. Do you think it will take them time to mesh as you did with LeBron James and Chris Bosh? I don't think it will take them that long. They have great players who want to figure it out. When you want to figure something out, you do it. The Heat play the Clippers in two preseason games in the China in October. How do you feel about that? It will be cool. I'm good friends with Chris Paul. And we continue to get the chance to take our game global. It will be a great experience for the Heat. It's the first time we're going as a team. So it's great for the organization and, hopefully, for the fans. Any regrets? Everything happens for a reason. And I learn from it. When I go through tough times I can't regret anything because if I do that then I have to change everything about my life, and I wouldn't be who I am today. I take the good with the bad and keep it moving. What goals do you have? I have a lot of goals. Obviously, when it comes to sports my only goal is to win and for my team to be successful on the basketball court. I don't have the same individual goals I had when I was young. Off the court, I want to continue to be an unbelievably good person, an unbelievably good father, and to strive to be great in whatever I decide to do after I'm done playing the game of basketball. I have so many things I still want to accomplish in life. Who plays you the toughest on defense? I would say it's more about the teams that play defense more than an individual player. The Boston Celtics' team defense is tough. The game is different now. It's not one guy that shuts you down. It's a team. They play a defense that stops you from getting to the paint. Your favorite athlete in another sport? I'm a big Chicago Bears fan, so Brian Urlacher is a favorite. Over the years, I was a huge fan of Jim Harbaugh. I'm a fan of greatness, guys like Albert Pujols and Derek Jeter. I understand how much work goes into it, so I can appreciate it. Do you have a hobby? Is sleeping a hobby? And my sons keep me busy, so I don't really have time for a hobby. What's on your iPod? Nas, DJ Khaled, Rick Ross, Jay-Z.