A video shows the moment an 8-foot bronze statue of the basketball player was unveiled, accompanied by rising smoke and applause from the crowd. To add to the spectacle, a few flames ignited behind the statue.
As the smoke cleared, a statue of a man wearing a Miami Heat jersey with the number three became visible. The figure is said to honor Dwyane Wade’s sixth NBA season, particularly his iconic shot on March 9, 2009, with his arms raised, fingers pointing down, and his mouth open in a shout.
The plinth beneath the statue bears the words “This is my house!”, echoing Wade’s famous declaration after the 2009 shot.
However, some social media users noted that they might have struggled to recognize the statue as Wade without the news coverage and Wade’s presence at the event.
A person on Twitter remarked, “Trying to capture an emotional expression like that is a great idea but should’ve stayed an idea.”
Barstool Sports humorously commented, “Dwyane Wade’s Heat career – 15 seasons – 3 championships – All-time leader in points, games, assists, and steals – 1 completely unrecognizable statue.”
Another user joked, “I loved the @Avengers! This statue of Thanos is.” A fourth asked, “Who approved this????” while a fifth questioned, “Why are statues so hard!? We’ve been doing this since the beginning of EVERYTHING.”
“Congrats to Dwade, but who is the sculptor?” another commenter added.
The sculptors behind the statue, Oscar León and Omri Amrany, have since shared their insights on the project. León explained to WSVN that they aimed to surpass their previous work in terms of design, execution, and composition. The statue, weighing between 700 to 800 pounds of clay, posed a unique challenge in making it appear as if Wade was “up in the air somehow.”
León also noted that Wade was actively involved in the creation process, giving input and suggesting small adjustments. Wade himself admitted, “I’m very vain, so if my eyebrow was off a little bit, I was letting them know.”
Despite the tweaks, León said Wade “walked away very happy” with the final result. By the last visit, they had made all the changes Wade requested.
During a news conference, Wade was quoted by the *Miami Herald* as saying, “I’m biased, but I think it’s one of the best statues that’s been created because of what it represents for us and for me.”
So, if Wade is happy with the statue, maybe that’s what really matters!
When Angel Reese strikes Caitlin Clark in the head, it provokes fury.
Women’s basketball fans are divided by Angel Reese’s egregious foul one on Caitlin Clark.
The Chicago Sky played the Indiana Fever on Sunday, June 16, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis.
With a 91-83 victory over their opponents, the former dominated the hotly contested WNBA game.
Former college rivals Clark and Reese, both 22 years old, faced off against one another in the most recent Fever vs. Sky match.
Clark finished with nine assists, eight rebounds, and 23 points on 7-for-11 shooting from the field during their matchup.
The rookie for the Chicago Sky, meanwhile, finished with 11 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists.
After hitting Clark in the head with around three minutes left in the third quarter, Reese was reviewed and given a flagrant foul.
Caitlin Clark is fouled while driving to the basket pic.twitter.com/U9TvoFUoD3
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) June 16, 2024
Reese and Isabelle Harrison, another Sky forward, seemed to have jumped from different directions to protect their hoop from their opponent at the time of the event.
Clark was pushed to the ground by Reese, who appeared to miss the ball.
Referees first called a common foul, but they later changed it to a flagrant, type 1.
According to WNBA rules, a flagrant 1 foul is given for contact deemed “unnecessary.”
When asked about the foul upgrade in a post-game press conference, Reese defended her actions, saying, “It was a basketball play. I can’t control the referees. They obviously had a significant influence on the game.”
“I’m always going for the ball, but you’re going to replay that clip 20 times before Monday, right?”
Clark, the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft by the Fever, also defended her opponent, stating it was “just part of basketball.”
“It is what it is; she was trying to make a play on the ball,” the point guard told reporters.
She went on to say that she anticipates that the game would occasionally “get a little feisty and physical.”
“That’s how the game ought to be. Ultimately, though, both teams are merely attempting to win.
Women’s basketball supporters have gathered in large numbers to discuss the egregious one-foul call in the wake of the incident.
“Angel Reese is literally looking up towards the ball as she swings,” a user on X, formerly known as Twitter, remarked. It happens that she missed. Let’s go on.
According to a second, “CC is experiencing unprecedented levels of harassment.” I hope this just helps her get better!
Another person typed, “Lawd, we’re going to see that Angel Reese’s foul on Caitlin was replayed EVERY WEEK.”
“Am I alone in believing that Angel Reese should have received an upgraded flagrant foul for this?” asked a fourth. She had the ball in her sights.
“We must eventually acknowledge that fouls occur in basketball and other violent sports.”
Another said, “Sunday was an overreaction.” “This was appropriately referred to as a flagrant, but she was attempting to hit the ball or the block and failed.”
A sixth person typed, “Needed to be ejected and fined.”
Fever is now in eighth place on the WBNA table after defeating Sky, while the latter is in ninth.
Teresa Weatherspoon’s team will welcome the Dallas Wings at Wintrust Arena, while Christie Sides’ team will next play the Washington Mystics in the league.
