Dwyane Wade Gets a New Face on Miami Heat Statue — SkimNews
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- Dwyane Wade consented to having a new head made for the statue outside the Miami Heat’s arena, saying the adjustments followed waves of criticism that the original face barely resembled him.
- Miami Heat posted photos of the updated statue Friday, revealing work completed in the preceding few days while a plywood box kept the public from seeing the changes.
- Dwyane Wade said he and everyone involved held “honest conversations” before agreeing to adjust the head, framing the revision as neither erasing the first work nor disrespecting its artists.
- Miami Heat: The original statue was unveiled two years ago and widely panned because its face bore almost no resemblance to Wade, who spent most of his Hall of Fame career with the team and was a major part of three NBA championship teams.
- Dwyane Wade’s game-winner against the Chicago Bulls inspired the statue’s pose: his March 2009 double-overtime shot and leap onto a courtside table, which produced the “This is my house” chant.
- Miami mattered to Wade’s revised vision as much as his own likeness: he wrote that “The 305” should feel the energy of the night and that fans’ noise, belief and love helped make the moment possible.
Why it matters: For Miami Heat fans, the revision directly addresses the likeness complaint attached to a statue celebrating Wade’s March 2009 double-overtime game-winner against the Chicago Bulls. By keeping the original pose and revising the head, Wade and the team preserve the “This is my house” moment while changing how the player is represented.
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