Miami, FL

‘Who the hell is this?’: Fans confused by Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade statue

Published

2 months ago

October 28, 2024

‘Who the hell is this?’: Fans confused by Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade statue

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.

“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.

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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Miami, FL

New Year’s Eve celebrations in Miami

Published

4 hours ago

January 1, 2025

Press Room

New Year’s Eve celebrations in Miami – CBS Miami

Watch CBS News

CBS News Miami’s Steve Maugeri reports from Bayfront Park in downtown Miami, where hundreds had gathered to welcome 2025.

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Miami, FL

The Miami Hurricanes Lose Three Players, One to the Portal and two to the NFL

Published

11 hours ago

December 31, 2024

Press Room

The Miami Hurricanes Lose Three Players, One to the Portal and two to the NFL

CORAL GABLES, Fl – The Miami Hurricanes offseason continues with its trail of players leaving for the NFL Draft or entering the transfer portal.

Transfer cornerback Mishael Powell and red-shirt junior tightened Elijah Arroyo have now declared for the NFL Draft per each player’s social media.

Nov 23, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes tight end Elijah Arroyo (8) runs with the football against Wake Forest Demon Deacons defensive back Davaughn Patterson (13) during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

After two injured-plagued seasons, Elijah Arroyo had a breakout year for Miami as a redshirt junior in 2024. Arroyo is turning his second team All-ACC season in and entering the 2025 NFL Draft. Arroyo flashed career highs with 35 receptions for 590 yards and seven TDs in 2024.

Mishael Powell will also declare for the NFL Draft for any team that is looking for a secondary piece on the pro level. With how questionable the secondary was this season for the Hurricanes the flashes that Powell showed were inconsistent at best but he did have some high moments.

Nov 30, 2024; Syracuse, New York, USA; Miami Hurricanes linebacker Raul Aguirre Jr. (32) and defensive back Mishael Powell (0) break up a pass intended for Syracuse Orange tight end Oronde Gadsden II (19) during the first half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images / Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

He finished his lone season with the hUrricanes with 28 tackles, five interceptions, and six pass deflections.

While these players are Declaring for the NFL Draft, one player has decided to enter the transfer portal. Jaden Harris is entering after a disappointing season as the secondary begins to revamp the entire room.

Florida Gators running back Montrell Johnson Jr. (1) finds a hole as Miami Hurricanes defensive back Jaden Harris (7) tackles him during the season opener at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, August 31, 2024 against the University of Miami Hurricanes in the first half. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun] / Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

The 6′, 195-pound redshirt sophomore from Atlanta had a rough season for Miami, grading at 56.6 on PFF with 15 missed tackles (25.9%) and a 57.2 coverage grade.

For his career, Harris has made 47 tackles with 5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, and 1 INT. He was ACC Defensive Back of the Week after his performance against Florida.

Miami, FL

Watch: Shaquille O’Neal Scored First NBA Basket Against Miami Heat

Published

20 hours ago

December 31, 2024

Press Room

Watch: Shaquille O’Neal Scored First NBA Basket Against Miami Heat

Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal retired as one of the most dominant players in NBA history.

Let’s take a look back at when it began. In 1992, he scored his first basket in the preseason against the Miami Heat. A few days later, he scored his first official points on a dunk against the same Heat. The bucket came after he rebounded a Donald Royal missed layup.

Years later, O’Neal joined the Heat to help lead them to the first title in franchise history in 2006.

JORDAN WASN’T READY FOR FRESH START

By 1998, Michael Jordan was already in for the long haul.

The Chicago Bulls had to accept Jordan and coach Phil Jackson as a package deal. So when rumblings began of the Bulls parting ways with Jackson at season’s end, Jordan spoke up.

He made his feeling clear an interview at the NBA All-Star game that season. Jordan said he would rather retire than play in Chicago without Jackson.

“It very well can be,” Jordan said of it possibly being his last All-Star game as a member of the Bulls. “I think right now in Chicago, they’re looking to make a change to go a different direction with the coach staff, which I think affects me a lot. They really don’t leave me with many choices. So right now, in my mind, I’m thinking that’s it.”

Jordan made good on his threat. The Bulls won a sixth title with Jordan, but hired Tim Floyd as coach in the offseason. It led to Jordan’s second retirement because he was unwilling to have a fresh start.

STOUDAMIRE HAS REGRETS ABOUT LEAVING TORONTO

Years later, Damon Stoudamire can admit he got a little ahead of himself.

He was the Rookie of the Year in 1996 after being drafted by the Toronto Raptors but grew impatient playing for a losing expansion team. It eventually led to Stoudamire wanting a trade.

He landed with a stacked Portland Trail Blazers team that made the 1999 Western Conference finals, but nowadays Stoudamire thinks back to what could have been with the Raptors.

“Big picture again, I should’ve stayed,” Stoudamire said on the Ballislife podcast. “You know, T-Mac [Tracy McGrady] was a rookie. He was gonna hit his stride. And you still had Marcus Camby.”

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