Dwyane Wade statue creator breaks silence after immense criticism

One of the sculptors of Dwyane Wade’s new Miami Heat statue said critics might’ve misunderstood the bronze creation.

Oscar León of Rotblatt Amrany Studio, who sculpted the statue alongside Omri Amrany, directly addressed negative reactions, including many that believe it looks nothing like the Miami Heat legend.

“To the critics, there’s a lot that needs to be understood,” León told NBC News. “We have to seal everything to keep the integrity of the sculpture. However, that does create a funny little side effect of being glossy in areas that we are not used to seeing when we look at somebody in the flesh.”

“The sealer definitely creates a little bit of, um, a misunderstanding to the eye. So, I would definitely encourage everyone to come to Miami and view it in person.”

Wade’s statue, which the Heat unveiled in front of Kaseya Center on Sunday, was first made with clay before it was coated in bronze.

Wade, who previously said he was heavily involved in the making of the statue, chose an iconic moment from his Heat career that the statue commemorates.