The Los Angeles Lakers have seen some of the greatest players in NBA history don their jersey and many of them have their numbers hanging in the rafters of Staples Center. Most Lakers legends have their jersey hanging high above, but a select few elite players have statues outside the arena. Magic Johnson, Jerry West and broadcaster Chick Hearn have their place at Staples Center and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will be getting a statue very soon.
On Lakers Nation’s Facebook page, we asked readers if they could only have one, would they rather have their jersey hanging in the rafters or a statue outside Staples Center. Unlike our poll as to whether Pau Gasol would be a Hall of Fame player, this poll was a little closer.
Voting breakdown (total 660 votes casted):
- Statue: 493 total votes
- Retired Jersey: 167 total votes
The Los Angeles Lakers currently have seven retired numbers, and they will add two more in the near future. Shaquille O’Neal and Jamaal Wilkes will be joining Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Gail Goodrich, James Worthy and Magic Johnson as the Lakers’ greatest players.
Based on numbers only, it is much harder to attain a statue outside Staples Center than it is to get a jersey retired inside the arena. Abdul-Jabbar’s statue is the next one in line and it is safe to say that current Lakers guard Kobe Bryant will also get on once it’s all said and done.