WNBA legend Lisa Leslie is set to receive one of the highest honors in sports history as the Los Angeles Sparks announced plans to unveil a statue in her honor outside Crypto.com Arena later this year.
The statue ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 20 in Star Plaza ahead of the Sparks’ home game against the Portland Fire, making Leslie just the second WNBA player ever to receive a statue from her franchise.
Leslie, a Hall of Famer and one of the most decorated athletes in women’s basketball history, spent her entire 12-season WNBA career with the Sparks. During her legendary run in Los Angeles, she helped lead the franchise to back-to-back championships in 2001 and 2002 while earning three league MVP awards, two Finals MVP honors, and eight All-Star selections.
She also made history as the first player to dunk in a WNBA game and remains the Sparks’ all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks, field goals, free throws, minutes played, and games played.
In a statement released Thursday, Leslie reflected on what the moment means to her and her hometown.
“To be cemented in Los Angeles, the city that raised me, I couldn’t be more proud to be a role model forever,” Leslie said. “God has blessed me and I have truly given my all to this sport and our community.”
The statue will place Leslie alongside some of sports’ most iconic figures already immortalized at Star Plaza, including Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Johnson praised Leslie’s impact on the game, calling her a trailblazer whose influence extended far beyond championships and awards.
The statue is reportedly being designed by renowned sculptors Julie Rotblatt Amrany and Omri Amrany, who have created several other notable sports monuments featured at the arena.
Fans across social media and the WNBA community celebrated the announcement Thursday, with many calling the honor long overdue for one of the league’s true pioneers.
