Bill Simmons Says Dwyane Wade's Statue Is The Worst Of All Time

Dwyane Wade’s newly unveiled statue outside Miami’s Kaseya Center has quickly become a controversial talking point. What was supposed to be a celebration of Wade’s legacy with the Miami Heat turned into a roast session on social media and sports talk shows, with many criticizing the statue for its unusual and somewhat unsettling design. Among the loudest voices was sports commentator Bill Simmons, who humorously blasted the statue on his podcast, dubbing it "the worst statue of all time.

"The biggest loser of the day was Dwyane Wade who had the worst statue of all time. What did, what did you think it looked like? It looked like somebody who had emerged from a fire and lived. It was like Jim Carrey’s sketch."

"Can you imagine having a statue look that bad of yourself being unveiled? What would you even say? ‘Uh, thanks?’ There’s never been a worse sports statue ever. I mean it got rightfully killed today. It was like Gollum or something." 

"Like who was it? It really looks like a freaky, like some kind of a lord of the Lord of the Rings character or some s**t. It’s so funny."

"How many guesses would you have taken before you knew that was Dwyane Wade. Like, ‘Hey, a famous athlete got a statue today.’ That would’ve taken me 700 guesses." 

Simmons began his critique by questioning the statue’s overall appearance, suggesting it didn’t remotely resemble Wade. Simmons highlighted the absurdity of the statue’s appearance, speculating that even die-hard Heat fans would struggle to recognize it as Wade without a plaque.

The statue, intended to capture the spirit of Wade’s iconic “Flash” style, somehow missed the mark, as Simmons and his co-host, Sal Iacono, pointed out. Iacono joked that it looked more like a “Lord of the Rings character” than an NBA legend.

This led Simmons to mockingly imagine a scenario where people were asked to identify the figure. Simmons jested that even if given 700 guesses, Wade might not have crossed his mind, likening the figure more to the alien-like visage of retired NBA player Sam Cassell.

Adding to the humor, Simmons questioned Wade’s involvement in the statue’s design. Reports indicated that Wade had a significant hand in the creative process, yet fans and critics alike were left scratching their heads. 

Simmons pondered how someone as involved as Wade could be satisfied with a statue that seems to deviate so much from his recognizable likeness. Despite the backlash, Wade has publicly expressed his satisfaction with the sculpture, though Simmons suggested that the public’s right to critique remains valid.

The statue’s reception has sparked a broader conversation about sports monuments and the pressure to capture a player’s essence accurately. Statues of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Kobe Bryant have been praised for their lifelike quality and reverence. For Wade, a three-time NBA champion and Miami’s all-time star, the response has been different, as fans hoped for a tribute that reflected his status as the greatest player in franchise history. Instead, the statue has taken on a meme-worthy life of its own, becoming a viral sensation for all the wrong reasons.

While it’s clear that the statue will remain a permanent fixture outside the Kaseya Center, it’s equally clear that fans and critics will continue to joke about it. Simmons’ critique encapsulates what many feel—that Wade deserves a statue reflecting his on-court elegance and contributions, rather than a creation that, for now, serves as a comic spectacle. 

Despite the statue’s underwhelming reception, Wade’s legacy as a Heat legend remains untouched, though the statue’s legacy may be less about honoring Wade and more about sparking laughter.