Magic Johnson poses with former USC and Los Angeles Sparks star and Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie outside of Crypto.com Arena. Johnson said on Instagram Friday that a statue of Leslie should be placed outside the arena next. (Instagram/Magic Johnson)
Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson, the second person to be honored with a bronze statue outside what is now called Crypto.com Arena, will be the next to receive a bronze medal at the iconic Star Plaza. He supported the star players he thought should be acquired.
Johnson said on Instagram Friday that the next person to have a statue installed outside the arena is former University of Southern California star and later Los Angeles Sparks Lisa Leslie.
“You took the WNBA, women's basketball, and the city of Los Angeles to new heights. My friend, your legacy is already women's history,” Johnson wrote. “And now your influence continues through entrepreneurship. I’m proud of you. I hope one day you get the statue you deserve outside of crypto!”
Leslie's basketball resume could overlap with anyone's. Born in Compton in 1972, she attended Morningside High School in Inglewood before she attended the University of Southern California. There she quickly distinguished herself, earning All-Pac-10 honors four times in four years and winning the Naismith National Player of the Year award in 1994.
She was one of the first players to join the WNBA and was a member of the Los Angeles Sparks' inaugural team in 1997. She won her three WNBA MVP awards and her two championships over her 12 seasons, all with the Sparks. Leslie was also a member of two gold medal winning U.S. women's basketball Olympic teams.
Since retiring from basketball in 2008, she has dabbled in broadcasting and coaching. She currently serves as the head coach for the Triplets in the Big3 Basketball League. Leslie was inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.
If given the honor, she will become the 13th person and first woman to have the statue installed at Star Plaza outside the Crypto.com Arena. The most recent figure to be sculpted was Lakers great Kobe Bryant, who received the statue on February 8th after her death.
