The Los Angeles Lakers are known for having many of the greatest players to ever step foot on a basketball court wearing the purple and gold. The same can be said for their Crypto.com Arena co-tenants the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA and arguably the greatest to ever wear that uniform, and one of the best women’s basketball players of all-time, is Lisa Leslie.
Leslie was recently honored with a statue in Star Plaza outside Crypto.com Arena, becoming the 16th person, and first Sparks player, to achieve that. And Leslie was not only proud to be immortalized, but also thankful to be alongside some Lakers legends in Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson, via Ramona Shelburne of ESPN:
“I’m right across from my little baby brother, Kobe,” Leslie said, pointing to a statue of Bryant across the plaza. “And I’m so thankful to the Bryant family for being here. I love you guys.
“I’m right across from Kobe. I’m right by Magic. The people who have just poured into my life. I can’t say it enough. To be cemented here in Hollywood, but it’s also a lasting legacy that my ancestors would be proud of.”
Leslie is a true pioneer of women’s basketball and one of the first real superstars the WNBA had. She was a two-time WNBA Champion and Finals MVP, a three-time WNBA regular season MVP, a two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and was the first woman to dunk in a WNBA game. She was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015 and is more than deserving of the honor and distinction of that statue, which is of that famous slam dunk.
Leslie also had the love and respect from her NBA peers, which is why the Bryant family was in attendance, as were other Lakers legends like Magic Johnson, James Worthy and Michael Cooper, not to mention her former Sparks teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Candace Parker.
A legend and trail blazer in every sense, Leslie has once again made history by becoming the first woman with a statue outside Crypto.com Arena. And that statue being next to those she holds close like Bryant and Johnson just make it that much more special.
Richard Sherman opens up about relationship with Kobe Bryant
Bryant had close relationships with many great athletes of his era and one of those was former NFL All-Pro Richard Sherman, who recently discussed how he and the Lakers icon became close.
If you love our reporting, choose LakersNation.com as a preferred source on Google.
