Charles Barkley calling Dwyane Wade’s statue “ugly” is the level of disappointment that NBA experts and fans have faced. While the incoming criticism was severe and frequent, Wade found himself quiet contended with the work of artists behind the statue. With him taking a positive approach, he has finally found the required support as well from some members of the NBA community.

The reactions came on one of the IG posts shared by Wade featuring a series of photos. This including some clicks in front of the “Dwyane Wade Blvd” board and a few snaps of the statute. The somewhat change of opinion in the comment section came in after Wade’s own positive outlook towards the statue.

“I get that people have their opinions… If the statue gets people talking, taking photos, and sharing it around, I’m all for it,” Wade said during a press conference. “If you wanted it to look exactly like me, I could just stand outside the arena,” he had added.

And in complete honesty, he’s the all-deserving Heat player. Not only did he lead the team to 3 championships but also stands as Miami’s all-time leading scorer. And the statue itself captures a specific moment in Heat history–his buzzer-beater against the Chicago Bulls in 2009 that had Miami fans going wild. So, if you’re looking for a perfect snapshot of Wade’s impact on the team, this is it.

No wonder that D-Wade showed an active involvement in making of this statue. And probably one of the reasons that he’s defensive as well as appreciative of it. Something that has started reflecting in the opinion of others as well.

Isaiah Thomas, Keion Henderson and more praise the Dwyane Wade statue

Among all reacting to D-Wade’s IG post, Isaiah Thomas had enough praise for the 3x NBA champ without much usage of words. “🐐🐐🐐” he commented on the post, highlighting D-Wade as his GOAT. Now, the two players may have played just one season together during Wade’s time in Cleavland Cavaliers, but they have had immense respect for one another.

Back when Thomas had a successful hip surgery and landed a one-year, $2 million veteran’s minimum deal with the Denver Nuggets, Wade was among the first ones to root for Thomas. “I. Can’t. Wait.@isaiahthomasgo do what you’ve done your whole life and that’s make everyone swallow their words. They can’t measure your heart cuz!” he had written on X.

So it was only natural for Thomas to now extend his support to D-Wade. Meanwhile, former Indiana Pacers star Lance Stephenson had something similar to say as he too highlighted the Miami Heat icon as his GOAT. ” 🐐 Congratulations 🔥” he wrote.

Among the many praises, there were some who admired Dwyane Wade’s journey as a whole. “Your journey inspires me, to keep chasing my dreams,” wrote on such IG user. From not being able to play in his freshman year to lifting 3 NBA championships and finding his place in the Hall of Fame, Wade’s journey has truly been inspiring. And the reaction that Shaunie Henderson’s husband Keion had for this journey was a series of “🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥” (fire) emojis.

However, it seems the netizens still cannot get enough of trolling the statue. “We all know why he posting the statue backwards,” one IG user. A dig at the much criticized face of the statue that is opined to have little to no resemblance to Dwyane Wade. But now that he has a meaningful support from a certain section of his community, such remarks should hardly matter.