In sports, few honors carry more weight than a jersey retirement. It’s the ultimate nod from a franchise to the player who has given their all and defined an era. This year, Dwight Howard earned that honor from the Orlando Magic. Interestingly, Derrick Rose has also previously expressed his desire for the honor. And the Bulls have promised to retire his No. 1 jersey next season. But while the city celebrates, Rose made it clear there’s one tribute he’s not interested in… a statue! Well, we will know what, but why? Because he doesn’t like how they’ve been turning out lately. But Paolo Banchero, the Orlando Magic star, has something else to say!

Getting a statue built in your honor is a big deal in sports. Just ask legends like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, or Magic Johnson, each immortalized outside their teams’ arenas. Even Dwyane Wade got one last year, though that backfired a bit. Instead of praise, fans online mocked how little the statue looked like him. What should’ve been a symbol of respect became a cautionary tale. It proved that not all tributes hit the mark, and athletes are paying attention. Still, contrary to Rose, it seems not all players are against having a statue of them made!

Fast forward to today, when Pardon My Take reuploaded an old segment of an interview with Paolo Banchero from 6 months ago. During the chat, PFT Commenter asked if he’s ever been recognized by NBA icons. Paolo lit up and recalled KD and Carmelo pulling him aside at All-Star Weekend. “They were just telling me I’m one of those guys. I just gotta stay hungry,” Paolo said. “That was all I needed to hear.” It was a rare glimpse. The convo then shifted. Would Paolo want a statue? His answer? “Hell yeah,” he laughed. “I think a statue would be dope. Obviously, I wanted to be a pretty good resemblance of me, though.” To this, PFT Commenter told him to be more involved in the sculpting process to ensure that the statue doesn’t turn out badly.

Of course, wanting a statue means staying long enough to earn it, and that brings us to Paolo’s future in Orlando. After wrapping up his third season, he’s now eligible for a contract extension, and fans are wondering what’s next. During his exit interviews, Paolo sounded confident about staying. “I mean, I love it here, man, I tell people all the time,” he said, mentioning how he’s grown more comfortable over time. His current deal ends in 2026, but he can lock in through 2031.

Would you want a statue if the internet might tear it apart?

How Dwyane Wade tried to defend his statue

At first glance, the statue outside Miami’s Kaseya Center didn’t spark pride, rather, it sparked memes. Dwyane Wade, the Heat’s all-time leading scorer, was honored in 2024 with a tribute meant to celebrate his iconic game-winner against the Bulls in 2009. But once the public saw the statue, they weren’t praising the moment. They were questioning the face. Wade, though, didn’t back down. “If I wanted it to look like me, I’d just stand outside,” he said.

When social media turned the unveiling into a comedy show, Wade offered a calm response. “I care, but I don’t,” he admitted. Instead of clapping back, he invited people to take pictures and even make memes. To him, the tribute wasn’t about accuracy—it was about art. “There’s not even 15 players who played this game of basketball that have a statue outside,” he reminded everyone. Being chosen meant more than the facial features ever could. He told the Heat crowd, “Don’t let nobody talk about our house.”

Later, Wade got even more honest about why the statue might look “off” to some. In a chat with The Underground Lounge, he explained how bronze doesn’t capture Black facial features the same way clay does. “Does it look like me? No,” he admitted. But that didn’t matter to him. What mattered was the message behind it. “When you pull up to my statue, you know what that moment is,” he said. It’s emotion, not perfection.

Even the sculpting process was a beast. Wade was involved the whole way and praised the artists who worked 800 hours on it. Still, he noted how technical details—like bronzing it heavier for Miami’s sun—altered the final look. The deeper takeaway? Legacy lasts longer than likeness. And sometimes, a statue is more about feeling than face.