Dwyane Wade‘s family has settled in to their new surroundings in Los Angeles, but like any coastal move, it hasn’t been a 100 percent smooth transition.
The retired NBA star, 38, sat down with PEOPLE this week for an exclusive interview leading up to his documentaryD. Wade: Life Unexpected, saying that the transition from Florida (where he spent the majority of his 16-year NBA career playing for the Miami Heat) to Los Angeles has “definitely” been tough.
“We miss Miami,” says Wade, who retired from professional basketball last year. “Of course, that definitely had become home to us, especially my kids. But my wife [Gabrielle Union] works in L.A., my daughters lived in L.A. with my wife, so we’ve got to go. My home is where my family is.”
Wade and Union’s immediate family includes their 15-month-old daughterKaavia James, as well as the basketball legend’s daughterZaya, 12, plus sonsXavier Zechariah, 6, andZaire, 18. He’s also guardian of nephewDahveon Morris, 18.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Dwyane Wade/Instagram
“At the end of it, something great is going to come out of it,” Wade notes of their move.
“In Miami, I have not been able to really go out and enjoy just being a father as muchbecause I’m Dwyane Wade in Miami,” he explains. “But in L.A., I’ve been able to do a little bit more because no one cares about me like that.”
“It’s a different level of fishbowl with people seeing me in Miami,” Wade adds. “So I’ve enjoyed being able to parent on the West Coast.”
RELATED VIDEO:Gabrielle Union Introduces 12-Year-Old Zaya to the World: ‘She’s Whip Smart and We Are So Proud’
Wade tells PEOPLE it’s “so hard” to watch his children struggle and figure out the best way to be there for them, “especially when you’ve got the answers” but want them to learn and grow on their own.
D. Wade: Life Unexpectedpremieres Sunday at 9 p.m. EST on ESPN.
source: people.com
