Watch: Dwyane Wade Shares What Daughter Zaya Wade Has Taught Him About Fatherhood
Dwyane Wade believes his new and improved statue is a slam dunk.
Two years after the former NBA player’s Miami Heat bronze sculpture received backlash over how it portrayed his likeness, the team debuted the eight-foot tribute’s makeover and head piece—and Wade couldn’t help but poke fun at its new look.
While sharing photos of the refreshed statue—which stands outside the Kaseya Center in Miami—on his Instagram Oct. 30, Wade joked, “Ok ok ok there’s nothing wrong with getting a little work done!”
ICYMI, the Miami Heat first revealed the honor for the ex-shooting guard—who played on the NBA team for 15 seasons—in October 2024. The bronze statue—which marked the first tribute to Heat player—features Wade standing in his signature “This is my house” stance.
And though it was a notable tribute, fans called a major foul on how Wade’s head and facial features, specifically, were portrayed. After all, many questioned whether there was any resemblance to the athlete, with the criticism resulting in years of memes and jokes.
Deciding it was time for a replay, the Heat unveiled the statue’s fresh face Oct. 30, highlighting its “enhancements” alongside photos on X.
Though the majority of the tribute remained the same, the head’s transformation is having fans saying hoop, hoop, hooray.
And Wade couldn’t agree more.
In fact, the 44-year-old—who shares daughter Zaya, 19, and son Zaire, 24, with ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches, son Xavier, 12, with ex Aja Metoyer, as well as daughter Kaavia, 7, with wife Gabrielle Union—gave insight into what led to the changes in a Substack essay published Oct. 30, emphasizing that what matters most of all are the fans.
“This is the first statue ever to stand in front of that arena,” he wrote. “That means something to me, but it also means something to the city.”
Michael Mooney/USTA via Getty Images/Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images
“Miami deserves to feel proud of it,” Wade continued. “The 305 deserves to look at that statue and feel the same energy it felt that night. And the fans deserve to see themselves in that moment because their noise, their belief and their love were part of what made it possible.”
And after the team “listened” and “went back to work,” Wade hopes fans will be cheering on the new look—and its bigger meaning.
“I hope when people see it now, they see a better likeness of me,” he shared. “But more than that, I hope they see themselves. Because it may be my likeness, but it will always be our house.”
For a closer look at what’s going on at his house, keep reading to see Wade’s sweet moments with Union and their blended family.
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Instagram/Gabrielle Union
Instagram/Gabrielle Union
Instagram/Zaire Wade
Instagram/Gabrielle Union
Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
Instagram / Gabrielle Union
Instagram/Gabrielle Union
Instagram/Gabrielle Union
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