Culture 3 min read By Mason Emerson
Heat update Dwyane Wade statue after face drew criticism
The Miami Heat have unveiled a revised bronze statue of Dwyane Wade outside Kaseya Center after the original likeness was widely panned online.
The Miami Heat have unveiled an updated bronze statue of Dwyane Wade outside their arena, after the original version drew widespread mockery online for not resembling the franchise great. The team has reworked the facial structure of the sculpture to bring it closer to Wade's actual likeness.
The original statue became a viral talking point for its appearance, with many fans saying it bore little resemblance to the three-time champion. Wade is the only Heat figure to have a statue outside the arena, a distinction that made the criticism more pointed. Wade played for the franchise for parts of 15 seasons and helped turn Miami into one of the premier organizations in the NBA before retiring after the 2018-19 season. A short video posted by Underdog NBA showed the team's update to the statue, with the caption noting the change.
According to the source reporting, Wade was involved in the creation of the statue alongside the artist and did not see major problems during that process. The newer version, by contrast, has been received as a far more accurate depiction. Coverage from ESPN, Yahoo Sports and the Miami Herald described the change in similar terms, noting that the Heat revised the face after the original was panned and that the team described the goal as better capturing Wade's likeness.
Wade's playing career supports the honor. He was a 13-time All-Star and was named All-Star Game MVP in 2010. He earned First-Team All-NBA honors twice, Second-Team All-NBA three times and Third-Team All-NBA three times, and he was named to the Second-Team All-Defense three times. He is widely regarded as one of the franchise's defining players.
The statue update comes as the Heat begin a new era. The team opened the season with an 0-4 start before picking up its first win, and early reporting has pointed to a disjointed offense and limited chemistry among the new roster. Only one player from Wade's years with the team remains: Bam Adebayo, now the club's second-best player behind Giannis Antetokounmpo. Miami also ranks among the weaker defensive teams in the league early in the season, a concern because the roster was built around defense in the paint anchored by Antetokounmpo and Adebayo.
In the Eastern Conference, a slow start can quickly make a playoff push difficult, which is why the first win was seen as important. The Heat still have time to recover, but the early struggles have put pressure on the team to develop chemistry quickly. The statue, meanwhile, offers a moment of recognition for a player whose legacy is central to the franchise's identity.
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