Amid the social media frenzy following the unveiling of Dwyane Wade’s statue outside the Kaseya Center, the sculptor behind the artwork, Omri Amrany, stood by his creation, asserting that “nobody could’ve done a better job.”
The statue, meant to honor Wade’s legendary “This is my house!” moment, has drawn mixed reactions, with many fans pointing out its lack of resemblance to the NBA star.
Amrany, who co-created the statue with his partner Oscar León, explained that more than 800 hours of work went into the sculpture, including 16 hours spent with Wade himself. Despite the criticism, Amrany remains proud of the piece, emphasizing that it captures the essence of Wade’s iconic celebration.
“I couldn’t do better than that. I don’t think anybody else can do better than that. It is what it is, and we will love it forever.”
Wade, for his part, has taken the critiques in stride, acknowledging the humorous nature of the reactions and expressing his satisfaction with the statue.
“Social media world is about opinions. Send some memes. We don’t care,” Wade said. “It was a special moment yesterday, my family and I. It don’t need to look like me. It’s an artistic version of me.”
The sculptor’s unwavering confidence in his work highlights the subjective nature of art and the challenges of capturing a person’s likeness in a way that pleases everyone.
