Heat honors Dwyane Wade with statue outside Kaseya Center
Miami, FL – In a momentous halftime ceremony during their 104-87 victory against the Charlotte Hornets, the Miami Heat honored former player Dwyane Wade’s enshrinement in the Basketball Hall of Fame last year. However, the celebration didn’t stop there. Heat President and former head coach Pat Riley took the opportunity to announce that a statue of Wade would be unveiled outside the Kaseya Center this fall, cementing his status as a permanent fixture in Miami.
Reflecting on Wade’s immense contribution to the franchise, Riley stated, “When we retired his jersey in February 2020, I said Dwyane was the face of this franchise forever and I meant it. 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.”
The upcoming statue unveiling ceremony will serve as a testament to Wade’s extraordinary career. As a 13-time All-Star and three-time NBA champion with the Heat, Wade’s impact on the team and the league is undeniable. His brilliance was especially evident in the 2006 NBA Finals, where he earned the title of NBA Finals MVP.
Notably, Wade spent the majority of his 16 seasons in the NBA with the Heat, becoming the franchise’s all-time scoring leader. His jersey, adorned with the number 3, was officially retired by the Heat in 2020, solidifying his place in the team’s history.
To ensure the statue captures the essence of Wade’s greatness, it will be commissioned by the same sculptors responsible for crafting statues of other legendary NBA figures. These include Michael Jordan in Chicago and Shaquille O’Neal at LSU. The sculptors’ expertise will undoubtedly result in a remarkable tribute to Wade’s remarkable career.
While an exact date for the statue unveiling ceremony is yet to be determined, the anticipation among Heat fans and the basketball community as a whole is palpable. The statue will serve as a lasting symbol of Wade’s impact on the game and his enduring legacy both on and off the court.
