Sculptor who made ‘unrecognizable’ statue of NBA legend Dwayne Wade speaks out after backlash from fans

In yet another story of an unfortunate statue, the sculptor who created one of NBA legend Dwayne Wade has spoken out.

The statue of Wade, unveiled outside Miami’s Kaseya Center, has stirred social media debate, with some fans saying the sculpture doesn’t resemble the retired Miami Heat star.

Dwayne Wade with his statue. Credit: Carmen Mandato/Getty

The bronze statue captures Wade in an iconic 2009 moment, shouting “this is my house” after sinking a game-winning three-pointer against the Chicago Bulls.

However, reactions from fans and public figures were mixed. Some critics claimed the statue’s face bore more resemblance to actors Laurence Fishburne or Kelsey Grammer than to Wade.

Fellow NBA Hall of Famer Paul Pierce even suggested Wade deserved a “redo,” saying the Heat legend was “too legendary” for the statue to miss the mark, per BBC News.

“Dwyane Wade’s Heat career – 15 seasons, 3 championships, all-time leader in points, games, assists, and steals – and one completely unrecognizable statue,” sports outlet Barstool Sports posted on X.

One of the statue’s creators, Omri Amrany, responded to the backlash, expressing a belief that art should provoke strong reactions.

“I want to be an artist that creates an in-your-face response,” Amrany told Front Office Sports. “You cannot expect all of human society will have a positive reaction.”

He added to WPLG Local 10 News: “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.”

Amrany, who collaborated with Wade on the design and has also crafted statues of NBA greats like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, explained that Wade personally selected the celebrated moment depicted in the sculpture and had visited the studio several times to offer feedback.

Wade, however, has maintained his support for the piece. “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,” he told the Miami Herald.

Wade also praised the piece as “beautiful” during the unveiling ceremony on Sunday.

Both Wade and the sculptor have defended the statue. Credit: Carmen Mandato/Getty

This isn’t the only bizarre story of a statue of a sportsperson capturing headlines at the minute.

If you cast your mind back to the Olympic Games in the summer, you’ll probably remember RayGun, the Australian breakdancer.

The statue, crafted from papier-mâché and decorated with rubber gloves, a tracksuit, and an Olympic flag, captures Gunn mid-air in her signature “kangaroo” move.

The artwork was first reported by a caller on Melbourne’s 3AW radio station, who told host Ross Stevenson: “Following on from her huge success of breakdancing in Paris, RayGun is now dancing in the streets of the north.”

Stevenson was visibly impressed by the artistry, responding, “That is amazing. That is awesome. Someone’s put up a statue of RayGun. Is that in someone’s backyard or in a public thoroughfare?”

The caller clarified that the statue is positioned on a public nature strip, with Stevenson adding: “That is outstanding. Look at the balance they’ve managed to achieve there with that statue. How do you do that?”

It seems like weird statues are all the rage.