Why Dwyane Wade Fans Are Calling Out His Miami Heat Statue

Basketball fans are calling time out after seeing Dwyane Wade's new statue.

The former NBA player was honored by the Miami Heat with a bronze statue Oct. 27 with a list of his achievements outside of Kaseya Center, making him the first on the team to earn a figure in front of the arena. 

"This is crazy," Wade said after the unveiling. "Life goes by so fast and it's very rare that we get to feel things because we're always off to the next thing. I didn't prepare much because I just wanted to feel this. I wanted to look at it. That's crazy. I can't believe that. Who is that guy?"

Indeed, it seems fans were also wondering who that guy is. After the statue—in which the basketball legend is standing in his signature "This is my house" stance—was unveiled, many questioned whether the 42-year-old looked like his tribute at all.

"It's making me forget what Dwyane Wade actually looks like," one fan admitted on X, formerly known as Twitter. "The longer I look, the harder it is for me to picture his real face."

"Remake the statue," another commented under the unveiling video on Instagram. "This ain't right."

Although spectators weren't so impressed with the artwork, which was designed by Timeless Creations, Dwyane was. After the unveiling, he gushed on his Instagram Stories, "This kid from the south side of Chicago will forever be cemented in stone in Miami."

Dwyane—who shares daughter Kaavia, 5, with wife Gabrielle Union as well as Xavier, 10, Zaya, 17, and Zaire, 22 from previous relationships—was also a part of the process, too. In another Instagram Stories, Dwyane was seen working with the artists as they sculpted the face of his statue, which was the most contentious part of the figure for fans.

E! News has reached out to reps for Dwyane, the Miami Heat and Timeless Creations for comment and has not yet heard back.

For the athlete, who played 14 seasons with the Heat and retired in 2019, his love for the sport transcends his own legacy.

"Basketball has meant everything in his life," he reflected on Inside the Heat Oct. 27. "Basketball has always been a sanctuary for me. It's always been that place that I can go to to clear my mind. Things make sense. It's always been a comfort for me." 

"When you get done playing the game of basketball, there's a little nervousness that pops in your mind," he continued. "It's a little in your stomach because I've been playing this game for so long. Most athletes have been playing it for as long as they can remember and especially when they become great at it. I had a moment of 'Man, what am I going to do next?'"

Dwyane, who was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2023, embraced the moment and opted to venture into several projects, including TV commentary, writing books and owning sports teams.

"I've been in more meetings in these few months that I've been away from the game than ever in my life," he explained, "but it's been fun because I bring my work ethic."

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