Wade: Heat statue 'don't need to look like me'

Dwyane Wade recently celebrated the unveiling of his statue, which commemorates a pivotal moment in his career when he won a game with a buzzer-beater against the Chicago Bulls in March 2009. The statue, however, has sparked a mix of reactions, particularly regarding its depiction of Wade's likeness.

In a press conference following the statue's reveal, Wade discussed the artistic interpretation of the statue. “If I wanted it to look like me, I'd just stand outside the arena and y'all can take photos,” he stated. “It don't need to look like me. It's the artistic version of a moment that happened that we're trying to cement.”

The statue features Wade in a pose reminiscent of the iconic moment when he jumped onto a courtside table and declared, “This is my house” after scoring the winning shot in double overtime. While the pose has been praised, the face of the statue has drawn significant criticism, leading to it trending on social media.

Wade acknowledged the feedback, noting, “I care, but I don't. The social media world is about opinions. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone, use y'all opinions. Please talk more about us. Talk more about a statue, come on down to see it, take some photos, send some memes. We don't care."

The sculptors at Studio Rotblatt Amrany dedicated approximately 800 hours to the creation of the statue, and Wade was involved throughout the process. He expressed appreciation for the craftsmanship involved, stating, “I don't know a lot of people with a statue. Do you? And so, it's an unbelievable process to be a part of. And it's a complicated process.”

As Miami's all-time leading scorer, Wade is the first player in Heat history to receive a statue. The Heat organization has not confirmed whether additional statues will be commissioned in the future. The unveiling event was attended by Wade's family and numerous members of the Heat organization.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra remarked on the significance of the event, saying, “It was a great celebration for all of us. We love to celebrate greatness. We love to celebrate all these iconic players, iconic moments.”

Wade humorously noted that some memes comparing the statue to actor Laurence Fishburne gave him a laugh, while also expressing concern for the artists facing negative feedback. “Every time they create something, someone has to come out and say something about their creation. They cannot do what they do,” Wade said. “So, we good. We good.”