Dwyane Wade statue unveiled in Miami as fans claim it looks nothing like him

The Miami Heat honored Dwyane Wade by unveiling a statue of the basketball legend outside the Kaseya Center in Miami, sealing his legacy with the team and making him the first Heat player with a statue outside the arena.

The statue was unveiled at a ceremony Sunday, about eight months after team president Pat Riley announced plans to cement Wade's legacy with the Heat, according to the NBA.

“This is crazy,” Wade said after the statue was unveiled. “I wanted to feel that. Life goes by so quickly and it is very rare that we feel things because we are always on the way to the next thing. … I wanted to feel that, man. I wanted to check it out.” “

In comments after the reveal, Wade said he never expected this moment.

“I didn’t play for it,” Wade said at the ceremony. “I didn’t pick up the basketball for that. I picked up basketball to change my family’s life.”

He also said he was “one of the luckiest men in the world” because “people believe in me.”

The statue, designed by Omri Amrany and Oscar León of Timeless Creations, stands outside the front doors of the Kaseya Center.

Wade was visibly amazed by his statue, remarking, “This is crazy. I can't believe that. Who is this guy?” just moments after seeing the statue for the first time. After taking his place on the podium in front of the statue, Wade turned several times to admire the giant version of himself with a smile on his face.

However, Wade's fans online weren't so thrilled, saying the statue bore little resemblance to the NBA champion.

Making light of Wade's “Who is this guy?” Comment, a user on X said: “We're all wondering the same thing.”

The statue appears to show Wade in the middle of the celebration, with his mouth wide open, eyes narrowed and arms raised as he points downward.

Another user joked that the statue actually depicted “Wayne Dade” and a third compared the statue to actor Laurence Fishburne.

“The Miami Heat should have held a contest where they would show this picture to 1,000 fans – and anyone who guesses it's Dwyane Wade gets to keep the statue,” Jeff Darlington, a reporter for ESPN, joked on X.

Wade played 13 seasons with the Heat, from 2003 to 2016, before moving to the Chicago Bulls for one season, followed by one season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, before returning to Miami for his final season in the NBA.

Beside the statue is a wall listing Wade's many professional achievements, including being the Heat's all-time leading scorer.

According to the NBA, Wade is one of two players who played on all three Miami Heat teams that won NBA championships. The other player is Udonis Haslem.

His own team calls him “the greatest player in Miami Heat history” and he is one of six former Heat players to have his number retired by the team.

Wade, a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, enjoyed playing as part of the Heat's famed Big Three of Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh from 2010 to 2014. During their time together, the Heat won two NBA championships and four Eastern Conference championships.

Wade was also part of the gold medal-winning team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and won a bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Games.

The celebration continues Monday when Miami takes on the Detroit Pistons in what the team is calling a “special Wade game night” that will include video tributes, activations and a halftime address from Wade.

Monday's game also marks the 21st anniversary of Wade's first game with the team, according to the NBA.

At the unveiling on Sunday, Wade was grateful and thanked fans for following his career. After unveiling the statue, he added: “I think I've given you something carved in stone to hold on to.”

“This is my house,” Wade concluded. “I’m out.”