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Heat unveil Dwyane Wade statue outside arena (0:34)

Associated Press

Oct 30, 2026, 12:22 PM ET

MIAMI -- Dwyane Wade has a new face -- on his statue.

Mindful of criticism that started coming in waves immediately after the statue outside the arena where the Miami Heat play was unveiled in his honor two years ago, Wade revealed Friday that he consented to having a new head made for the piece.

"It may be my likeness, but it will always be our house." - @DwyaneWade

A closer look at the enhancements to his statue. https://t.co/VmcBYsEzDK

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) October 30, 2026

The original statue was widely panned because the face bore almost no resemblance to Wade, who spent the majority of his Basketball Hall of Fame career starring for the Heat and was a major part of Miami's three NBA championship teams.

"I had to ask myself a pretty simple question: 'If people don't feel that connection when they look at the face, why wouldn't we try to make it better?'" Wade wrote in an essay published…