NBA legends Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal have sharply criticized the original statue of Dwyane Wade following the Miami Heat's decision to replace its head. The statue was first unveiled on October 27, 2024, outside the Kaseya Center in Miami, but the franchise later commissioned a newly minted replacement head for the sculpture.
The original unveiling ceremony took place in front of the Kaseya Center, with images showing both the initial statue and the subsequent replacement head side by side. Barkley and O'Neal, both Hall of Fame players and current television analysts, described the original work in harsh terms during a recent broadcast.
The Heat organization has not publicly detailed the specific reasons for the replacement, but the move indicates dissatisfaction with the initial likeness. Wade, a three-time NBA champion with Miami and the franchise's all-time leading scorer, attended the original dedication ceremony last October.
