Dwyane Wade’s Statue Faces Backlash as Fans Claim It Looks Nothing Like Him

The Miami Heat’s unveiling of a new statue meant to honor NBA icon Dwyane Wade has quickly become a talking point for fans, and not for the right reasons. The statue, positioned outside the Kaseya Center in Miami, was revealed in a grand ceremony on Sunday, but the likeness to Wade has left fans scratching their heads, with many agreeing it doesn’t quite resemble the three-time champion.

The statue, crafted by renowned sculptors Omri Amrany and Oscar León from Rotblatt Amrany Studio, depicts Wade’s famous “This is my house” pose, a gesture that has become iconic to Heat fans over the years. But rather than celebrating the tribute, social media erupted with comments poking fun at the statue’s questionable resemblance to Wade.

• “Guess who?”: One fan quipped, “The Miami Heat should’ve had a contest where they showed this picture to 1,000 fans and anyone who guesses it’s Dwyane Wade gets to keep the statue.”

• Over-the-top comparisons: Another fan joked, “Why is Dwyane Wade unveiling a statue of Laurence Fishburne??”

• Fans in disbelief: One comment read, “The longer I look, the harder it is for me to picture his real face,” as fans struggled to connect the statue to the NBA star they know so well.

Wade himself seemed to acknowledge the statue’s lack of resemblance during his speech, gesturing toward it and humorously asking, “Like that’s crazy, I can’t believe it, like who is that guy?” Despite the laughs, the odd tribute joins a long list of sports statues that missed the mark.

From Cristiano Ronaldo’s infamous bronze bust that was mercilessly mocked online, to the botched 2021 statue of Peyton Manning, athletes across the globe have occasionally been met with less-than-flattering likenesses. After fans criticized Ronaldo’s original statue for looking nothing like him, it was eventually replaced by a new version in 2018.

Miami Heat fans can only hope Wade’s statue gets a second look, or maybe even a redo. For now, however, it seems the piece has only succeeded in puzzling fans and sparking online humor.

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