Dwyane Wade statue sparks outrage as NBA fans claim Miami Heat 'massacred' their legend

The Miami Heat unveiled a Dwyane Wade statue in front of Kaseya Center on Sunday, but its design quickly backfired online from NBA fans who couldn't see the resemblance between the man and the art.

The Heat honored Wade’s legacy with a nearly two-hour live-streamed ceremony unveiling the statue in his honor. The event was filled with heartfelt speeches from those who know him best, including his son Zaire Wade, longtime NBA teammate Udonis Haslem, and Heat President Pat Riley.

Wade's statue was unveiled at the end of the ceremony . It captured him in a passionate and energetic pose with his arms up from his 15 years with the franchise. The statue commemorated Wade's achievements, including his Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame induction , three NBA championships, a Finals MVP award, and 13 All-Star selections.

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The display's background highlighted some of Wade's career highlights, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest players in NBA history. But NBA fans quickly commented that the statue didn't resemble Wade.

Many took to social media to humorously critique the detailed likeness. One observer wrote on X, “The Dwyane Wade statue looks like he's riding an invisible motorcycle,” poking fun at the statue’s pose. Another fan joined in with, “Did they give them the right guy?”

The playful complaints continued as another hoop fan said, "That ain’t D-Wade, bruh." Another fan said," Who makes these statues, man?" while another compared it to “the reptile statue in the Mortal Kombat 1 movie.” Even Wade himself joined in on the lighthearted spirit, joking, "That’s crazy. I can’t believe it. Who is that guy?” The comment brought laughter from the event crowd, who also critiqued the statue through the hashtag for the event online.

"People don't believe in you or your dreams," said Wade to the crowd. "You think if I would have told somebody, 'Hey, my dream is to go to the NBA, win three NBA championships, have 13 All-Star appearances, play with some of the greatest players ever, have a statue one day, be in the Hall of Fame, have a jersey retirement and travel the world, you think somebody would tell me that would happen."

"Nobody will believe in your dream unless they see you working," he continued as he stood before the statue. "The work is the reason why I'm here. You don't get this unless you win."

Wade’s significance to the Heat’s legacy is undeniable, and his impact spans several team records. As the franchise's all-time leader in games played, Wade appeared in 948 games and logged 32,912 minutes.

His offensive and defensive-minded game is also shown in his statistics, where he holds franchise records in field goals made, field goals attempted, free throws, assists with 5,310, steals with 1,492, and total points with 21,556.

Wade’s contributions on and off the court earned him a spot on the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team and saw his No. 3 jersey previously retired by the team.