From Dwyane Wade to Other Greats: A Round-Up of Athlete Statues That Honor Legends—Even if They Don’t Always Look Alike

With the unveiling of Dwyane Wade’s NBA statue, athletic busts have been the topic of social media for days. 

That is your house indeed; forever @DwyaneWade ⚡️🙌 pic.twitter.com/EC7h0K4oBZ

— NBA (@NBA) October 28, 2024

Last weekend, Wade and the world witnessed the unveiling of the bronze figure outside the Kaseya Center in Miami.  Cameras captured Wade and his son, Zaire, locking eyes and attempting to hold in their laughter over the now-viral statue.  When the former Miami Heat star took the podium, he playfully questioned, “Who is that guy?” which only fueled the social media chatter. 

Some questioned why sculptors Omri Amrany and Oscar León made Wade’s face look more like Lawrence Fishburne than the Hall of Famer.  However, despite Wade poking fun at his own figure, he shared behind-the-scenes footage of the process, which showed him also assisting in the creative process.  Even when speaking with the press, he stood by the monument. 

“It don’t need to look like me.  It’s the artistic version of a moment that happened that we’re trying to cement,” Wade stated. 

While the bust has made for a funny conversation, the honor is still one of the highest that an athlete can receive.  Even if they aren’t exactly look-alikes, these designs serve as monuments to the incredible careers of some of the world’s best athletes. Here are some of our favorites.

Ed Reed – NFL (Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, New York Jets,  Buffalo Bills)

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A post shared by HOF Ed Reed phil: 4:13 DJukebox20 (@edreedhof20)

Michael Jordan – NBA (Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards)

The best statue in sports 🐐

The Michael Jordan statue (“The Spirit”) is available for public viewing in the United Center atrium!

Monday-Friday: 8 am to 6 pm CT
Weekends: 10 am to 6 pm CT pic.twitter.com/9SKD1FeBFR

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) July 16, 2021

Venus and Serena Williams – Tennis

This is awesome: Venus Williams poses with a statue of her and her sister Serena at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History ❤️🎾#thegist

(c/o @Venuseswilliams) pic.twitter.com/jyGm2SUII4

— The GIST USA (@thegistusa) November 19, 2021

Shaquille O’Neal – NBA ( Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics)

Immortalized. Congrats to Shaq for getting his own statue outside of Staples Center. pic.twitter.com/kVgJGyTTXs

— KicksOnFire (@kicksonfire) March 26, 2017

Kobe Bryant and daughter, Gigi – NBA and Little League (Los Angeles Lakers and Mamba Sports Academy)

The Lakers officially unveil Kobe Bryant’s second statue honoring Kobe & Gigi 🐍🕊️ @LADEig pic.twitter.com/pfEQHtIgOC

— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) August 2, 2024