Bill Simmons Criticizes Dwyane Wade Statue, Comparing It To Fire Marshall Bill

Shandel Richardson | Oct 28, 2024

Aug 10, 2024; Paris, France; Dwayne Wade and Noah Eagle during men's basketball bronze medal game between Serbia and Germany during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Miami Heat took plenty of criticism for the unveiling of the Dwyane Wade statue.

Among the critics was Bill Simmons of The Ringer. He said the statue hardly resembled Wade.

"The biggest loser of the day was Dwyane Wade, who had the worst statue of all time," Simmons said on his podcast.

Simmons said the statue looked like it was burn victim. He compared it to Jim Carey's "Fire Marshall Bill" from the 1990s show In Living Color.

"I actually thought looked like somebody who had emerged from a fire and lived," Simmons said. "What that Jim Carey fireman sketch. Can you imagine having a statue look that bad of yourself? Being unveiled would you even say? Thanks? There's never been a worst statue and it got rightfully killed."

Simmons finished the rant by saying it would take him "700 guesses" to say the statue was Wade.

Wade is the first player in Heat history to have a statue. He joins the likes of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Dirk Nowitzki and Dominique Wilkins to have statues outside the arenas they played.

Wade is considered the greatest player for the franchise. Before retiring in 2019, he helped lead the Heat to three NBA titles. In 2006, he led them to the first and was named Finals MVP. He later won two playing alongside LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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