Outside the Kaseya Center the Miami Heat will unveil a bronze statue of Dwayne Wade. It's been a long time coming for the franchise legend. Wade, retired after the 2018-19 season, holding several franchise records with The Heat.
Out of his 16-year career in the NBA he spent 15-years with the Miami Heat. Winning three championships and a Finals MVP in 2006 it was Wade County for a minute in Dade. It's easy to see the love the city of Miami has for the 13 Time All-Star.
The announcement made during last week's game came as a surprise to Wade. Wade was also inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last year.
Wade expressed......"I didn't dream of this,” Wade said, choking back tears after the surprise announcement. “I'm just so grateful. I can't wait for that day. I'm excited."
The Heat retired his number Sunday night and honored his Hall of Fame career. Current President and former Heat head coach Pat Riley made the announcement...."When we retired his jersey in February 2020, I said Dwyane was the face of this franchise forever and I meant it,” Wade’s former coach added in a statement after the announcement. “Dwyane's legacy is a towering one not only for the Miami Heat but for Miami-Wade county. I can't think of a better way to honor him than by memorializing that legacy."
Wade expressed excitement and gratitude for being honored with a statue and spoke on his memory as a child growing up in Chicago seeing Michael Jordan's trophy and it being the only one he had seen of a basketball player outside of the arena.
The statue is set to be unveiled in fall of 2024.