Dwyane Wade Statue Draws Criticism Over Likeness

A recently revealed statue honoring the esteemed American basketball player Dwyane Wade has generated controversy online, as some observers claim it lacks a likeness to the former Miami Heat standout. The artwork portrays Wade exclaiming “this is my house” following his decisive three-point shot against the Chicago Bulls in 2009. Wade himself described the statue as “beautiful” during its unveiling in Miami on Sunday. However, detractors commented that the statue’s facial features bear a greater resemblance to actors Laurence Fishburne or Kelsey Grammer. Paul Pierce, a fellow NBA Hall of Famer, joined the critics, suggesting Wade required a “redo” given his “legendary” status. On Monday, one of the sculptors behind the bronze piece defended their work, stating that not everyone would have “a positive reaction”. Speaking to Front Office Sports on Monday, Omri Amrani stated, “I want to be an artist that creates an in-your-face response and you cannot expect all of human society will have a positive reaction.” Mr. Amrani, who has also sculpted figures of NBA legends like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, noted that Wade personally selected the memorable scene depicted by the statue. Wade visited the art studio numerous times to collaborate on the endeavor. Nevertheless, online comments included observations that the statue resembled a zombie from the film I Am Legend. Despite this, Wade expressed his affection for the sculpture. He informed the Miami-Herald, “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.” This event brings to mind several other previously criticized statues, such as the Queen Elizabeth II statue revealed in the UK last month. Another instance was the statue of football player Cristiano Ronaldo at a Portuguese airport, which was re-unveiled following a significant refurbishment. Additionally, the statue of renowned US comedian and TV personality Lucille Ball, presented in New York in 2009, was nicknamed “Scary Lucy” by local inhabitants because of its unsettling facial expression. The statue was replaced by a different artist’s creation in 2016, following a social media campaign that called for its removal. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC does not assume responsibility for the content of external sites. Details on our approach to external linking are available.