Heat unveil updated head on Dwyane Wade statue

The Miami Heat unveiled an updated head for Dwyane Wade’s statue outside Kaseya Center on October 30, after criticism that the original face did not resemble the former star. The rest of the bronze sculpture remains largely unchanged, according to the team and reporting on the project. Wade said he agreed with the people involved to adjust the head after reconsidering the statue’s significance to Miami and its fans. In an essay published the day of the unveiling, he said the criticism had focused on the face and that he had heard the jokes and seen the memes. He said he was initially protective of the sculpture because he had been involved in its creation, but later concluded that the group could try to improve the likeness. The statue depicts Wade celebrating a game-winning shot against the Chicago Bulls on March 9, 2009. The shot came in double overtime, and Wade leapt onto the scorer’s table after the game, declaring, “This is my house.” He described that sequence as one of the most meaningful moments of his career and said the statue was intended to capture both the play and the relationship between him and Miami. The Heat contacted original sculptors Omri Amrany and Oscar...