Dwyane Wade statue gets new look outside Miami Heat arena
Sun Sentinel • • sports
Key Points:
- The Miami Heat have updated the head of Dwyane Wade’s statue at Kaseya Center after widespread criticism of its original likeness, with the retrofit completed by the original artists Omri Amrany and Oscar Leon.
- The new head was created to better capture Wade’s likeness and emotion from the iconic “This is my house!” moment in 2009, matching the statue’s existing weathering and installed discreetly over two days.
- Wade acknowledged initial defensiveness about the statue but ultimately supported the changes, emphasizing the importance of accurately representing the moment and connecting with fans.
- The original statue, unveiled in 2022, faced mockery and jokes from fans and fellow players, including Charles Barkley, who criticized its appearance on national television.
- Wade hopes the updated statue will resonate more with fans, symbolizing not just his image but a shared sense of pride and belonging among the Miami Heat community.
