Miami Heat unveil revamped Dwyane Wade statue face outside arena

The Miami Heat unveiled a revamped statue of former star player Dwyane Wade on Friday in front of the Kaseya Center in Miami, UPI reported. According to UPI and the Daily Mail, the update comes after the original bronze artwork drew widespread criticism and ridicule when it was first revealed in 2024. [1][2]

The original eight-foot bronze piece commemorated Wade jumping onto a courtside table after hitting a game-winning shot against the Chicago Bulls in 2009, UPI said. However, news outlets including the Daily Mail, The New York Times, and the Miami Herald noted that the face on the original sculpture received intense backlash for failing to capture his likeness. Wade agreed to have a new head crafted for the sculpture to improve the portrait, the Daily Mail and the Miami Herald reported. [1][2][3][5]

Wade spent the majority of his 16-year career with the Miami Heat and led the franchise to three National Basketball Association championships. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2023 and is the franchise leader in overall points, games played, assists, and steals. [1][8][9][10]