HEARTBREAKING: Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade announces his departure leaving with……

Dwyane Wade has been honoured by basketball team Miami Heat following his 16-season-long career in the NBA, in which he became a 13-time All-Star.

The retired shooting guard won three championship titles with the Heat and is now the first player in franchise history to be immortalised in the form of a statue.

His name, and face, is etched in the NBA history books and now his legacy will live on in bronze.

“Thinking about coming here as a young kid [at 21] and now a 42-year-old man… to be able to experience something like this with everybody, this is one of the dopest moments of my life,” Wade said.

“Simply put, probably one of the best moments of my life.”

The statue depicts one of Wade’s most iconic moments, the ‘this is my house celebration’ after hitting a three-point buzzer shot following a steal in a double-overtime win against the Chicago Bulls in 2009.

The American, a Beijing 2008 gold medallist with Team USA, had a hands-on experience of seeing the process unfold and being involved in the creation of the statue.

“It was a beautiful process to be a part of,” he said.

“I think it’s one of the best statues that’s created because of what it represents.”