MIAMI — Dwyane Wade recently celebrated a significant moment in his basketball career with the unveiling of his statue, which portrays a particular play where his offensive prowess shone through. However, the statue itself quickly became the subject of discussion, particularly regarding its artistic representation of Wade. On Monday, just a day after the Miami Heat revealed the statue, Wade took the time to explain its design and the artistic process behind it. The statue has stirred conversation online, trending globally and appearing on various national broadcasts.

Wade addressed the public’s reaction, highlighting that the likeness was not meant to be an exact replica of him. “If I wanted it to look like me, I’d just stand outside the arena and y’all can take photos,” he stated. “It don’t need to look like me. It’s the artistic version of a moment that happened that we’re trying to cement.” This moment refers to a thrilling game against the Chicago Bulls back in March 2009 when Wade hit a buzzer-beater in double overtime and famously declared, “This is my house,” while celebrating on a courtside table. The statue’s pose aims to capture that iconic celebration, although the facial features are what have incited most of the commentary.

Wade shared that while he appreciates feedback, he remains indifferent to the criticisms, responding, “The social media world is about opinions. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone, use y’all opinions. Please talk more about us. Talk more about a statue, come on down to see it, take some photos, send some memes. We don’t care.” The statue, which took approximately 800 hours to create, involved Wade closely collaborating with the sculptors. Despite the buzz surrounding it, many people saw the statue for the first time during its unveiling. Wade had previewed segments of the statue throughout its creation.

Expressing admiration for the sculptors’ work, Wade remarked, “I don’t know a lot of people with a statue. Do you? No one out there do neither. And so, it’s an unbelievable process to be a part of. And it’s a complicated process.” Wade, who is the all-time leading scorer in Miami Heat history, became the first player to receive this honor from the franchise, though the team has not confirmed whether other players will be similarly honored in the future. The unveiling event attracted numerous family members and notable figures from the Heat organization, creating a festive atmosphere.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra commented on the occasion, saying, “It was a great celebration for all of us. We love to celebrate greatness. We love to celebrate all these iconic players, iconic moments.” Among the lighter reactions, Wade mentioned enjoying some memes that humorously claimed the statue resembled actor Laurence Fishburne more than himself. He acknowledged that it’s unfortunate the artists faced negative remarks about their work. The studio responsible for the statue, Rotblatt Amrany, is based in the Chicago area.

Wade concluded his reflections by empathizing with the artists, stating that criticism is part of the creative process. “Every time they create something, someone has to come out and say something about their creation. They cannot do what they do,” he said. “I know what that feels like because I’m an athlete, a former athlete. People talked about me a lot, but they couldn’t do what I do. And so, you learn how to just laugh, look at it, learn from it, move on, whatever. So, we good. We good.”