Dwayne Wade to become first Heat player honored with a statue outside Miami arena

Whenever you think about Dwayne Wade, it is impossible not to relate him with the Heat franchise, and this is why the Florida team have decided to acknowledge this fact with a historical homage. The retired NBA star will become the first player in Miami history to ever be honored with a statue outside their arena. 

The club announced this Thursday that the piece will be unveiled outside the Kaseya Center on October 27, right before the start of the upcoming NBA campaign. The next day, the Heat will prepare a ceremony as part of their first home game against the Pistons.

The presentation will also include concerts by Rick Ross and Nino Breeze. The sculptors are Omri Amrany and Oscar León of Rotblatt Amrany Studio, who are the same artists behind Michael Jordan’s in Chicago, as well as the Lakers’ most recent unveiling of the Kobe and Gianna Bryant Memorial Statue.

Our franchise GOAT getting basketball’s ultimate honor. Be here when the @DwyaneWade statue is officially unveiled 🔥

Sign up for ticket info + early access to exclusive Wade merch – https://t.co/1KSgnYQXNq pic.twitter.com/ghTKiZnlbn

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) September 12, 2024

“When we retired his jersey in February 2020, I said Dwyane was the face of this franchise forever and I meant it,” Heat president Pat Riley said at the start of the year. “Dwyane’s legacy is a towering one not only for the Miami HEAT but for Miami-Wade County. I can’t think of a better way to honor him than by memorializing that legacy.”

Dwayne wore the Heat jersey during the first 13 campaigns of his career and finally rejoined them for 21 matches in the 2017-18 season, as well as his final year in 2018-19.

“I’m not really the person who gets lost for words. I’ve got too many words actually. I didn’t dream of this, though,” the player shared when he was first told about it. “I’m just so grateful. I’m very grateful. … I can’t wait for families to be able to experience what that’s gonna be like from all around the world, to come and have a moment of the culture that will be out front. I can’t wait until that day, man, so I’m excited.”

During all his time in Miami, Wade averaged 22.7 points, 5.6 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals per match. His trophy cabinet includes three titles, the 2006 NBA Finals MVP, the 2008-09 scoring title, eight All-NBA selections, plus 13 All-Star nods.

The Heat Legend Said Last Year That His ‘Family Would Not Be Accepted Or Feel Comfortable’ In Florida Due To New LGBTQ Policies

Even though NBA legend Dwayne Wade guided the Heat to three NBA Championships after 14 complete seasons playing for Miami, he said last year in an interview that he’s left Florida because his family doesn’t agree with the latest social policies.

The former basketball player told journalist Rachel Nichols on Headliners that he left the Sunshine State due to fears that his family would not “feel comfortable there”, suggesting that his leaving is related to the newest legislation that banned school employees (or third parties) from giving classroom instruction on gender identity or sexual orientation from kindergarten up until the third grade.

“That’s another reason why I don’t live in that state,” Wade told the reporter. “A lot of people don’t know that. I have to make decisions for my family, not just personal, individual decisions.

“I mean, obviously, the tax [situation] is great. Having Wade County is great. But my family would not be accepted or feel comfortable there. And so that’s one of the reasons why I don’t live there.”