MIAMI – Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade and All-Star Bam Adebayo are teaming up once again, but this time it’s not on the court.
The duo hosted a special event at the Chapman Partnership on Thursday, unveiling a newly designed basketball court dedicated to helping the community.
Wade, who originally donated the court years ago, partnered with Adebayo and their respective foundations — Wade’s World Foundation and Adebayo’s BBB Foundation — to run a contest for a fresh court design.
On Thursday, the two Heat former and current stars officially unveiled the newly designed court, with many VIPs, Heat players, and local politicians in attendance.
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“This is a passing of the torch,” said one attendee, noting Wade’s legacy of giving back to the Miami community and how Adebayo, the current face of the Heat, is continuing that tradition. Wade’s son, Zaire, was also present, adding a family touch to the ceremony.
The event is part of a weekend filled with celebrations for Wade.
On Sunday, the Kaseya Center will host the unveiling of a statue in his honor, and Monday night will be “Dwyane Wade Night” at the Miami Heat game against the Detroit Pistons.
But Thursday’s focus is on community impact, with Wade and Adebayo demonstrating their commitment to making a difference.
Earlier in the day, they helped feed the homeless, a key initiative of the Chapman Partnership, which provides services for those in need.
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A sign was also unveiled naming a portion of Northeast Seventh Street, near the arena, “Dwyane Wade Boulevard.”
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Dwyane Wade is now the first Miami Heat player with a statue outside the team’s arena, although many of his fans are unsure if it is a fitting tribute.
The Heat unveiled the statue Sunday, eight months after team president Pat Riley announced plans for the tribute. Wade, a 13-time All-Star, is Miami’s all-time leading scorer, and he and Udonis Haslem are the only players to have been on all three Heat teams that won NBA championships.
“This is crazy,” Wade said at the unveiling. “I wanted to feel this. Life goes by so fast and it’s very rare that we get to feel things, because we’re always off to the next thing. … I wanted to feel this, man. I wanted to look at it.”
Others were less that gushing about the statue, which bears only a passing resemblance to Wade, and compared it to an infamous rendering of Cristiano Ronaldo that attracted widespread ridicule.
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“Man who the hell is this??? The Miami Heat did Dwyane Wade filthy with this statue lmao,” one user wrote on social media.
Another referenced Wade’s move to the Chicago Bulls towards the end of his career. “When Pat Riley won’t give you max money so you have to sign with the Bulls,” they wrote.
Others suggested the statue looked more like the actor Laurence Fishburne than Wade.
Wade, a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, is one of six former Heat players to have their number retired by the team – along with Haslem, Chris Bosh, Tim Hardaway, Shaquille O’Neal and Alonzo Mourning.
“As the greatest player ever in Miami Heat history, yes, it’s his day, it’s his family’s day,” Riley said.
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The statue is accompanied by a wall listing Wade’s career accomplishments and has been placed outside the front doors of the team’s arena. Wade is now a part-owner of the Utah Jazz in addition to having many other business interests.
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