Zaya Wade says Papa Dwyane Wade tries to “scare” any person in whom she is located

Dating Zaya Wade means meeting her father Dwyane Wade – and she knows that he can be intimidating.

The 17-year-old was interviewed by Seventeen For her new cover story and was asked how her father and stepmom – the retired NBA player 43, and the actress Gabrielle Union, 52 – feel about her dating.

“You are really cool about it,” she says. “I and my step mass love to protect the dirt and use the high school gossip. She is looking forward to me if I want: ‘Oh, I like this person.'”

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While her parents agree to her dating and even want to meet the people she is in, Zaya tells her father to try to scare potential applicants.

“My father … he tries to frighten every person in whom I am interested. He is intimidating,” admits Zaya. “The people I dated all were afraid of him in the first interaction. He is gigantic and has this deep, booming voice.”

“But the facade only takes as long and you actually see his true personality,” she reveals. “He is a teddy bear.”

Dwyane shares two children, Zaire (22) and Zaya with his ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches and a son Xavier (11) with Aja Metoyer. He shares daughter Kaavia, 6, with Union and is also the legal guardian of his nephew Dahveon Morris, 21.

Speak to Harper Bazaar Zaya announced that her father influenced her the most for her icons for the 2023 series. “My father is really inspiring me the most,” she told the publication.

“Children always tend to look at their parents, but I not only idolized him when I grew up and see him as a real person, but I found the world.”

“He was so supportive and my biggest lawyer. He took the time and learned and grown. I want the same mentality in life to go through something,” said Zaya, who came out in 2020 as a transgender.

“It is such a big change. It is difficult to navigate. We have all learned more about each other and the way we can work together and grow together in this crazy world, especially in public.”

“It is always like a spotlight with you. At the end of the day we are a family and we support and love ourselves and we are grateful,” she concluded.