Updated 17 hours ago - Sports
Who is Miami's sports GOAT?
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Four of Miami's most celebrated sports stars remain. Only two will advance to the final round of our bracket crowning the 305's top athlete ever.
Reminder: We chose 16 athletes from across the sports and time spectrum, and we tried our best to pick names that best represented Miami's sports legends over the years.
Here are the semifinal matchups.
🥊 Dwyane Wade vs Udonis Haslem
- D-Wade and UD are two of the most iconic Heat players ever — and they became legends in entirely different ways.
- Wade was a 13-time NBA All-Star, 2006 Finals MVP and remains the franchise leader in points, assists and steals. He has a statue outside the arena and a portion of Biscayne Boulevard named after him. (Not to mention all of "Miami-Wade County," at one point.)
- Haslem never made an All-Star team, but his defense, leadership and loyalty made him a 16-time team captain. He has strong Miami ties, attending Miami Senior High and now working in the Heat front office.
- Wade and Haslem brought Miami three NBA championships. Both have their jerseys retired.
🥊 Dan Marino vs Lionel Messi
- Marino and Messi are both considered among the greatest to play their sports, but only Messi can claim bringing a championship to South Florida.
- Marino can claim longevity. He's called SoFlo home for decades and works in the Dolphins front office. Every quarterback the team ever signs will be compared to him.
- Messi signed to Inter Miami in 2023, but his arrival sparked a U.S. soccer frenzy.