Gabrielle Union Says It Took ‘Some Years’ For Dwyane Wade’s Family To Trust Her Due To Their Age Gap: ‘Now, It’s Easy’

August 25, 2025 by Aaron Keenan in Celebrity Couples with 0 Comments

Gabrielle Union Says It Took ‘Some Years’ For Dwyane Wade’s Family To Trust Her Due To Their Age Gap: ‘Now, It’s Easy’

Gabrielle Union is opening up about the early days of her relationship with Dwyane Wade.

On a recent episode of Michelle Obama’s IMO podcast, Union revealed that Wade’s sister Tragil and their mother were skeptical of her intentions when she and the retired NBA star started dating in 2009.

“So when I first met his family, the older sisters, who are closer in my age, [were] immediately good,” Union explained. “But with Tragil, because she has been the protector… She has been the watchdog. She has been the gatekeeper… And before I got to the wife stage, like when we were just [at] the very beginning, I think Tragil and his mom were like, ‘What do you want? Who are you, you older lady? What do you want?’”

Union said she made it clear she wasn’t after anything but a genuine relationship:

“I was like, ‘Actually, we both just got divorced, so we’re kind of in the same space. I didn’t have a kid at 20, I’m still childless, and I’m not racing to do that, so I’m straight. I got my own bank account, so I’m good. I just like him, we’ll see where it goes.’”

Still, Union admitted it wasn’t instant acceptance:

“It took some years, really, to earn their trust and also for them to earn my trust so we could be comfortable equally. Now, it’s easy, because we are all on the same side.”