LeBron James beaten out by Lakers legend for statue in front of Los Angeles arena
Eight members - soon to be nine - are currently commemorated at Star Plaza outside Crypto.com Arena.
When LeBron James made the decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers , for a second time, the plan was to follow in Kobe Bryant 's footsteps and become a legend for the Los Angeles Lakers franchise.
After eight seasons with the Lakers, that didn't quite come to fruition. James was able to bring an NBA Championship to Los Angeles, but the team failed to make another NBA Finals appearance during James' seven other seasons there . For Lakers fans, James doesn't come close to other icons of the franchise - at least in regards to his contributions for Los Angeles.
Phil Jackson statue to be unveiled during Lakers 2026-27 season
With James in the rearview mirror, the Lakers franchise is moving forward and celebrating one of those other icons . Next up for a dedicatory statue is Phil Jackson . The team announced that a statue of Jackson will be unveiled on April 9, 2027 outside Crypto.com Arena .
Jackson's contributions for the franchise were truly incredible. After winning six NBA Championships with Michael Jordan and co. on the Chicago Bulls , Jackson went to Los Angeles and won three straight rings to start his Lakers tenure . He helped the Lakers make two unsuccessful NBA Finals appearances in the mid-2000s before winning back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010 .
It's unlikely James will ever get a statue on the Lakers premises, simply because he was only able to win one ring during his time there. But there's no doubt he marked an important period in the franchise's history.
