‘Today’ Fans Want Dwyane Wade as ‘Jenna & Friends’ Permanent Cohost

Jenna Bush Hager has had many memorable guest hosts on Today With Jenna & Friends, but there’s one celebrity who’s become a fan favorite to fill the role permanently.

Former NBA star Dwyane Wade came back for his second week of cohosting the fourth hour of Today on Monday, July 7. Since his return was announced, fans have flooded the show’s social media comments with praise for Wade’s hosting skills.

“Yaayy! Dwayne Wade and Jenna are so awesome together. He is such a good hearted soul,” one fan commented under the show’s Friday, July 4, Instagram post. “He shines a bright light to everyone around him ❤️❤️.” Another added, “He has been my favorite co host so far❤️.”

Viewers were charmed when Bush Hager surprised the pro athlete with his mother, Jolinda, on the show’s Monday, July 7, episode. “I said it before he is her permanent host. Good chemistry. He brings a good balance,” one user commented underneath a behind-the-scenes Instagram clip of the sweet moment on Monday. A separate fan wrote, “This is adorable. I definitely want Dwayne Wade to stay as host I love watching him 👀.”

A third fan said they have “much respect” for Wade and “would love to see him fill the slot.”

Nathan Congleton/NBC

Wade also won over many fans with his story about being starstruck by Scandal star Bellamy Young. While at an event with his wife, Gabrielle Union, Wade recalled the funny way he got Young’s attention after spotting her from across the room.

“I just yelled, ‘Mellie!’… I just screamed it. I didn’t even know that was in me,” he shared on the show’s Tuesday, July 8, episode. “She turned around and she looked and waved and looked over. And we started chatting it up. [Gabrielle] was like, ‘You ready to go?’ I’m like, ‘No!’ We had a great [time].”

Fans loved Wade’s enthusiasm over meeting the actress. “I would do the same thing. Just rewatched Scandal to get me through to football season and it’s so damn good,” a fan commented under an Instagram clip of the conversation on Tuesday. A different person posted, “Omg, he’s sooo relatable and like, totally likable!!! 😍✨.”

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For one user, the moment cemented him as their top pick to be Jenna & Friends‘ new cohost. “I want him to get a show because he has been a guest host on another show and was great,” they commented on Tuesday.

Young surprised Wade in the Jenna & Friends studio during the show’s Thursday, July 10, episode, and gifted him a “Mellie Grant #1 Fan” T-shirt. Wade’s wife and youngest child, Kaavia, also stopped by Thursday’s episode, which featured a sweet segment of Wade taking his daughter to the American Girl store in New York City.

Wade previously hosted a whole week of Jenna & Friends in March. He will wrap up his second week-long stint on Today on Friday, July 11. The basketball star is one of several celebrities who have joined Bush Hager at the Jenna & Friends desk since Hoda Kotb‘s departure from the NBC morning show in January.

Today With Jenna & Friends, Weekdays, 10 a.m. ET, NBC