Basketball Hall of Famers Dwyane Wade, Grant Hill eyed as potential challengers to Sen. Rick Scott: report

Basketball Hall of Famers Grant Hill and Dwyane Wade have reportedly been eyed as potential candidates to run for the U.S. Senate in Florida as Democrat strategists goal Sen. Rick Scott’s seat.

Democrat Party operatives and donors “see the necessity for a moonshot-type candidate” to attempt to put a cease to the Republican stronghold within the state, NBC News reported Monday. Recruiters have reportedly checked out potential candidates who could be fashionable within the state and “has the power to self-fund” to assist change the politics within the Sunshine State on the federal stage.

Grant Hill appears to be like on earlier than Round One Game Two of the 2023 NBA Playoffs between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets on April 19, 2023 on the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. (Bart Young/NBAE through Getty Images)

While Hill and Wade are each well-known faces, Wade really introduced a number of NBA championships to Miami when he was with the Heat. Hill, a seven-time All-Star, performed for the Orlando Magic from 2000 to 2007 in addition to for the Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers.

“Grant Hill has nice title ID. He would increase a boatload of cash and is without doubt one of the smartest guys you’ll ever meet,” John Morgan, an Orland-based lawyer and Democrat donor who can also be enterprise companions with Hill, advised NBC News. “Grant Hill would beat the s— out of Rick Scott.”

Wade is seen as a “dream candidate” given his latest foray into social points. Though, he’s made clear he’s moved out of Florida as a result of he didn’t really feel like his household could be “accepted or really feel snug there.” Wade’s 15-year-old youngster Zaya is a transgender woman and he’s been very supportive of her even going to courtroom to legally change her title and gender in Los Angeles.

NBA’S FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER ON NHL PRIDE NIGHT CONTROVERSY: ‘RELIGION SHOULD NOT BE A CAUSE FOR DIVISION’

Dwayne Wade appears to be like on throughout the sport between the CFV – Beira and the Cape Town Tigers on May 3, 2023 on the Dr. Hassan Moustafa Sports Hall in Cairo, Egypt. (Armand Lenoir/NBAE through Getty Images)

“Dwyane Wade is a Florida legend, whose management previous and current has quite a lot of of us in our state sending feelers out,” Ray Paultre, the manager director of the Florida Alliance, advised NBC News. “We have seen former athletes, in each events, carry one thing particular to the political panorama. He hasn’t been formally approached, however he’s on the record of 4 or 5 dream candidates to problem Rick Scott.

“There are completely different teams speaking to a various set of potential candidates — all of which might be nice choices. I received’t converse to the place every of these conversations are, however I can verify that there are organized efforts to interact everybody you’ve talked about.”

Wade and Hill didn’t instantly reply to Fox News Digital’s request for remark.

Scott beat incumbent Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson for the seat in 2018. Before Nelson, the final Democrat to carry the seat was Lawton Chiles.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., attends the Senate Armed Services Committee listening to on Global Security Challenges and Strategy, in Dirksen Building, February 15, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc through Getty Images)

Scott didn’t instantly return Fox News Digital’s request for remark.