When you think of Dwayne Wade, it’s hard not to associate him with the Heat franchise, which is why the Florida team has decided to pay tribute to him with a historic honor. The retired NBA star will be the first player in Miami’s history to be commemorated with a statue outside their arena.
The club announced on Thursday that the statue will be unveiled outside the Kaseya Center on October 27, just before the start of the upcoming NBA season. The following day, the Heat will hold a ceremony as part of their first home game against the Pistons.
The unveiling event will also feature performances by Rick Ross and Nino Breeze. The sculptors responsible for the statue are Omri Amrany and Oscar León from Rotblatt Amrany Studio, who also created Michael Jordan’s statue in Chicago and the most recent statue honoring Kobe and Gianna Bryant for the Lakers.
“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 stated earlier this year. “Dwyane’s legacy is monumental not only for the Miami HEAT but for Miami-Wade County. I can’t think of a better way to honor him than by immortalizing that legacy.”
Dwayne spent his first 13 seasons with the Heat and returned to play 21 games with them during the 2017-18 season and his final year in 2018-19.
“I’m not usually at a loss for words. I have too many words actually. But I didn’t dream of this,” Wade expressed when he first learned about the statue. “I’m just so grateful. I can’t wait for families from all over the world to come and experience what it will be like, to enjoy the culture that will be on display. I’m excited for that day, man, really excited.”
Throughout his time in Miami, Wade averaged 22.7 points, 5.6 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game. His accolades include three NBA titles, the 2006 NBA Finals MVP, the 2008-09 scoring title, eight All-NBA selections, and 13 All-Star appearances.
Last Year, the Heat Legend Revealed His Decision to Leave Florida Due to New LGBTQ Policies
Despite leading the Heat to three NBA Championships during his 14 seasons with the team, NBA legend Dwayne Wade disclosed last year in an interview that he relocated from Florida because his family did not agree with the state’s recent social policies.
Wade explained to journalist Rachel Nichols on Headliners that he left the Sunshine State out of concern that his family would not feel comfortable there, citing the legislation that prohibited classroom instruction on gender identity or sexual orientation for younger students as a factor.
“That’s another reason why I don’t live in that state,” Wade told Nichols. “A lot of people don’t know that. I have to make decisions for my family, not just personal decisions.”
“I mean, obviously, the tax situation is great, and Wade County is great. But my family would not be accepted or comfortable there. And so, that’s one of the reasons why I don’t live there.”
