Los Angeles Sparks franchise icon and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie, one of the best players in WNBA history, will be honored with a statue outside Crypto.com Arena, the team announced Thursday. A ceremony will be held on Sept. 20, prior to the Sparks’ game against the Portland Fire, with more details to come.
“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. “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. As the saying goes, ‘The wolf is only as strong as the pack,’ and I’ve been fortunate to have an amazing pack supporting me every step of the way.”
Leslie, who currently works for CBS Sports as a WNBA analyst and a panelist on “We Need To Talk,” was allocated to the Sparks ahead of the league’s debut season in 1997 and spent her entire 12-season career with the franchise.
Along the way, Leslie led the Sparks to back-to-back championships in 2001 and 2002, won three MVPs, two Finals MVPs and two Defensive Player of the Year awards, made eight All-Star appearances (the All-Star Game was not an annual event when she played, was named All-Star Game MVP three times and received 12 All-WNBA and four All-Defensive honors. She was named to the league’s all-decade team in 2006, and subsequently the 15th-, 20th- and 25th-anniversary teams.
In 363 career games, Leslie averaged 17.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.3 blocks. She is 13th on the league’s all-time scoring list (6,263), sixth in rebounds (3,307) and third in blocks (822). Leslie was also the first player in WNBA history to dunk, doing so on July 30, 2002, against the now-defunct Miami Sol.
Leslie’s No. 9 was retired by the Sparks in 2010, and she was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.
“I’ve known Lisa for nearly three decades and believe that she is beyond deserving of this incredible honor,” Los Angeles Lakers legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who is part of the Sparks’ ownership group, said in a statement. “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. Lisa’s legacy isn’t just measured by championships and accolades, though; it’s defined by the doors she opened and the standard she set for generations to come. More than an athlete, she is a pioneer, a cultural icon and a force who elevated women’s basketball to new heights. This statue celebrates her excellence, her leadership and the future she helped create, and it ensures her impact will forever be part of the fabric of this city.”
Leslie will be the second player in WNBA history to receive a statue outside of their team’s arena. Seattle Storm legend Sue Bird was honored with one last year.
