Statue of Miami Heat basketball superstar Dwyane Wade sparks backlash

A newly unveiled statue of popular US basketball star DwyaneWade has sparked backlash online after some said they could not see any resemblance to the former Miami Heat icon.

The statue depicts Wade screaming, “This is my house” after hitting a game-winning three-point shot against the Chicago Bulls in 2009. Wade called the statue “beautiful” when it was unveiled in Miami on Sunday.

However, critics said the statue's face more closely resembled actors Laurence Fishburne or Kelsey Grammer. NBA Hall of Fame member Paul Pierce was among the haters, saying Wade needed a “remake” because he was too “legendary.”

On Monday, one of the sculptors responsible for creating the bronze artwork defended it, saying not everyone will have “a positive reaction.”

On Monday, Omri told Amrani Front Office Sports“I want to be an artist who provokes a direct reaction, and you cannot expect the entire human society to have a positive reaction.”

The iconic moment the statue represents was chosen by Wade himself, said Mr. Amrani, who has also created statues of NBA legends including Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan.

Wade traveled to the art studio several times to collaborate on the project.

But online, some said the statue looked more like a zombie from the movie “I Am Legend.”

However, Wade said he loves the statue.

“I'm personally biased, I think it's one of the best statues ever created because it has meaning for us and for me,” he said Miami Herald.

The incident is reminiscent of several other widely criticized statues from the past, including the A statue of Queen Elizabeth II was unveiled in Britain last month.

There was also a statue of a football player Cristiano Ronaldo at a Portuguese airport. After a major overhaul, it was revealed a second time.

And the statue of famous US comedian and TV star Lucille Ball, unveiled in New York in 2009, was nicknamed “Scary Lucy” by locals because of her eerie facial expression.

The statue was replaced with that of another artist in 2016 after a social media campaign.