Outside of Miami’s Kaseya Center, the unveiling of Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade's statue was a moment of celebration, honoring the NBA legend's illustrious career with the team. However, for those not in attendance, the statue quickly became a topic of debate and inspired a wave of memes from basketball fans worldwide.

The eight-foot bronze statue, capturing Wade's iconic "This is my house" celebration from a 2009 game against the Chicago Bulls, was met with mixed reactions, at best. Social media erupted with memes and critiques, suggesting the statue bore a closer resemblance to everyone from Lawrence Fishburne to the villain from 1994’s “The Mask” than to Wade himself. Notably, sports commentator Bill Simmons labeled it "the worst statue of all time," comparing its appearance to Jim Carrey’s character from In Living Color’s "Fire Marshal Bill" sketch.

Despite the backlash, Wade expressed his appreciation for the tribute. "Social media world is about opinions," he said. "It don’t need to look like me. It’s an artistic version of me." Wade emphasized that the moment was special for him and his family, choosing to focus on the honor rather than the criticism.

The minds behind this controversial piece are Oscar León and Omri Amrany from Studio Rotblatt Amrany, a studio renowned for crafting statues for NBA legends, including Michael Jordan’s "The Spirit," a 15-foot sculpture celebrating Jordan’s first retirement in 1994, Dirk Nowitzki’s “The Fadeaway” which was unveiled in 2022, and Kobe Bryant’s towering 19-foot statue outside of Crypto.com Arena commemorating his legendary 81-point game in 2006. While the latter received its share of social media backlash – albeit seemingly less than that of Wade’s statue – the works of the studio have largely been praised.

According to Rachel Nichols, Wade was actively involved in the statue's creation process, visiting the sculptors several times to oversee its development. Photos of Wade in-studio with the unfinished work were even available on the studio’s website. He expressed satisfaction with the final product, stating that it represented more than just his likeness—it symbolized an immortal moment in his career. In an interview with the Miami Herald, Wade mentioned, "Personally, I'm biased; I think it's one of the best statues that’s been created because of what it represents for us and for me."

Omri Amrany defended their work on Wade’s statue by stating, "I couldn’t do better than that. I don’t think anybody else can do better than that. It is what it is, and we will love it forever."

Creating a statue involves meticulous planning and execution; for Wade's statue, the sculptors said the process took approximately 800 hours. Julie Rotblatt Amrany, co-founder of the studio, explained their approach in an August 2024 interview with PBS affiliate WTTW: "[The subjects] bring their own needs to you, so you as an artist have to acquiesce to what they want." 

While many fans were critical of the statue's likeness, others appreciated its symbolic value. Local reporter Will Manso noted that most fans who saw the statue in person found it impressive and took photos, adding, “you can’t tell people on-line that because it’s all negativity.” Jimmy Butler, current Heat player and no stranger to controversy himself, commented, “I like it…I think it’s crazy that he’s the first one to get a statue out there…what a way to set an example. That guy has done so much for this organization. That’s my brother. I’m proud of him.”

The debate over Dwyane Wade’s sculpture highlights the inherent subjectivity of art and how public art – especially that involving beloved sports figures – can evoke strong reactions.