On the opening night of the Miami Heat against the Detroit Pistons, which was supposed to cement Dwyane Wade’s legacy in Miami with golden splendor, the city instead found itself divided over what many believe an unsatisfactory tribute to their basketball hero. The streets outside Kaseya Center, commemorated as Dwyane Wade Boulevard, buzzed with anticipation before the statue’s unveiling, but the excitement quickly turned to bewilderment as the bronze figure emerged from beneath its cover.

Former Celtics point guard Jeff Teague recently stirred controversy on his podcast by suggesting that Wade had been left out of the creative process, particularly in selecting the image that would inspire his statue. “They did not let D-Way pick that picture. Nah, I don’t think you gotta say so,” said Teague during the latest episode of the Club 520 podcast.

However, Wade himself has now put these claims to rest. Despite the backlash, Wade’s newly released footage on his Instagram Story shows him examining clay models of the statue’s face, offering input, and appearing satisfied with the work in progress. These clips directly contradict Teague’s assertions and suggest that Wade was not only involved but approved of the artistic direction.

The statue captures Wade in his iconic pose from the 2009 game against the Chicago Bulls, where he stood atop the scorer’s table, arms outstretched, basking in the adoration of Heat fans when he scored a three-pointer. “I want to make sure that every fan, when they see it, you know, they remember my career and I think that sums up my career. People are going to be driving and they’re going to look up and I’m going to be like, ‘This is my house.’ I was like, ‘That’s gonna be pretty cool from the street,’” said Wade.

The controversy surrounding the statue stems largely from its perceived lack of resemblance to the Miami Heat legend. Basketball fans and art critics alike have taken to social media, comparing the statue’s face to various celebrities and fictional characters – none of whom bear much resemblance to the three-time NBA champion. Some have likened it to a cross between former professional boxer George Foreman and Matrix actor Laurence Fishburne.

Regardless, it stands as a testament to Wade’s impact on the city of Miami and the icon is quite satisfied with the results and just the meaning it has come to hold.

Dwyane Wade’s thoughts on his statue

As mentioned earlier, the buildup to the statue unveiling event this year was like no other NBA till now. From Wade donating freshly painted basketball court to the Miami community to the people of Miami changing the name of the road in front of the Kaseya Center, 27th Oct was indeed going to be a great night. But we all know what happened in the end.

But it seems like Wade has formed a different liking for it. “I was just like, ‘That’s beautiful. I’m biased, but I think it’s one of the best statues that’s been created because of what it represents for us and for me,” said Wade during the statue unveiling ceremony.

Interestingly, Rotblatt Amrany Studio, which is the same studio that has sculpted statues of other NBA greats like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, has sculpted the statue of Dwyane Wade. Now it can be speculated why Wade said in favor of the statue because he himself was present when it was being built. “He walked away very happy,” Oscar León, one of the sculptors had revealed, after stating that the icon himself was present during the whole process.