Sparks to honor Lisa Leslie with statue at Crypto.com Arena
Apr 3, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Lisa Leslie poses before a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament between the UConn Huskies and the South Carolina Gamecocks at Mortgage Matchup Center. LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Sparks announced Wednesday that franchise icon Lisa Leslie will be honored with a statue outside Crypto. com Arena, cementing her place among the most celebrated sports figures in Los Angeles history.
The statue unveiling ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 20, before the Sparks host the Portland Fire. “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 in a statement released by the Sparks. “God has blessed me and I have truly given my all to this sport and our community. I am thankful to my coaches, teammates, incredible fans, and, most importantly, my family and friends.
” Leslie becomes just the second player in WNBA history to receive a statue from her franchise and the first connected to the Sparks organization. The monument will stand in the arena’s iconic Star Plaza alongside statues honoring sports legends including Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Wayne Gretzky and Chick Hearn. The statue will be created by renowned sculptors Julie Rotblatt Amrany and Omri Amrany, whose work has become synonymous with some of the most recognizable sports monuments in the country.
“I’ve known Lisa for nearly three decades and believe that she is beyond deserving of this incredible honor,” Johnson said. “She was the driving force behind bringing back-to-back championships to the Los Angeles Sparks franchise in 2000 and 2001, and Lisa’s hard work and commitment has made her one of the best to ever play the game. ” Johnson added that Leslie’s impact transcended basketball.