Dwyane Wade statue sparks negative reactions from fans

Dwyane Wade’s newly unveiled statue is getting a lot of attention, although perhaps not for the reasons the Miami Heat expected.

According to The Associated Press, Wade is the first Heat player to have his legacy immortalized with a statue outside the Kaseya Center in Miami. He is also one of only six team members to have his jersey number retired.

“This is crazy,” Wade said in a speech at the event. “I wanted to feel that. Life goes by so quickly and it is very rare that we feel anything because we are always on the way to the next thing.”

However, the moment was somewhat marred by the negative reaction from many fans, some saying that the statue doesn’t look like Wade.

Comparisons have been drawn to the much-criticized sculpture of soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, which was unveiled at Madeira Airport in 2017 and later redesigned after widespread ridicule.

“This is my house” moment

The statue captures an iconic moment from Wade’s game against the Chicago Bulls in 2009, known as the “This is My House” game.

In that game, Wade scored 48 points, recorded 12 assists, four steals and two blocks. But the defining moment came when Wade stole the ball in the final seconds of double overtime and made a three-point shot at the buzzer, breaking the tie and securing the victory for the Heat.

After firing the shot, Wade climbed onto a table and shouted to the crowd while pointing at himself, “This is my house!”

Wade retired from the NBA after the 2018-19 season and played for a total of 16 years. The NBA calls the statue ceremony a final tribute to “the greatest player in Miami Heat history.”

Engraved on a wall next to the statue are the highlights of his career with the Heat, including his status as the team’s highest scoring player, according to NBC News.

Negative reactions online

In the video of the unveiling, Wade appeared pleased with the statue, walking around and admiring it as the barriers were finally pulled aside. He nodded at the statue and remarked, “She looks good.”

While Wade expressed his gratitude for the honor, online reactions were less positive and many fans were quick to criticize the statue’s likeness. One comment from Wade’s speech seemed to strike a chord with fans.

“This is crazy,” Wade said. “I can’t believe that. Who is this guy?”

Wade may have intended the comment to express surprise, but fans used it to express their own confusion.

A viral post on X states: “Who is this guy? We’re all wondering the same thing, man.”

Jeff Darlington, an ESPN reporter, also commented in a post on .”