Draymond surprised by Heat’s blunder of Wade statue originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Draymond Green recently weighed in on the Dwyane Wade Miami Heat statue controversy.
Speaking on his eponymous podcast, Green could not help but talk about the statue of Wade that was unveiled recently in front of the Kaseya Center in Miami.
“First of all, I want to say congratulations to D-Wade on the statue,” Green told co-host Baron Davis. “Getting your jersey back is one thing, that’s unbelievable. To get a statue, that’s a whole different level. But, we have to ask, what were your first thoughts about the statue?”
The statue sparked controversy for not looking like the Heat legend, leading to mixed reactions on social media. Green offered his thoughts on the situation, expressing his confusion at the process.
“I saw pictures of D-Wade watching [a mock of] the face of the statue,” Green told Davis. “It’s actually at Rachel Nicholl’s [social media page] if I’m not mistaken. And I must say that the mockup of his face does not look at all like the statue turned out.
“So, everybody’s like ‘Oh, D-Wade, he saw it, he approved of it,’ but the mockup of his face looked like D-Wade. Later, it looked like Tim Thomas. I don’t quite understand how it ended up like this. My thing is, don’t they show the statue to someone before they reveal it and everyone is like ‘Oh, who’s that guy?’ “
Wade cemented himself as one of the greatest players in Heat history, winning three NBA championships and the 2006 NBA Finals MVP. The 13-time All-Star and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer also had his No. 3 jersey retired by Miami, but he is the first player in franchise history to have a statue outside the Kaseya Center.
You can expect Green to have a say in the creation of a statue in his likeness outside Chase Center in San Francisco, if the Warriors ever decide to erect one. Hopefully, the finished product will resemble him.
