Lisa Leslie Becomes the First Woman Honored at Star Plaza

Lisa Leslie joined the Sparks in 1997 during the WNBA’s inaugural season as part of the initial player allocation, beginning a 12-season Los Angeles career that lasted through 2009. On Sunday, a bronze statue capturing Leslie mid-dunk was unveiled outside Crypto.com Arena, making the Los Angeles Sparks icon the first female professional athlete honored with a monument at Star Plaza in downtown Los Angeles.

The statue recreates Leslie’s landmark July 30, 2002 dunk, the first in WNBA history. She led the franchise to back-to-back WNBA championships in 2001 and 2002, earning WNBA Finals MVP honors in both series.

At the outdoor ceremony, Leslie dubbed the occasion “The First Lady.” Speakers included Lakers legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson and former Sparks head coach Michael Cooper, who led Los Angeles during Leslie’s championship runs. Cooper recalled Leslie routinely going head-to-head with members of the NBA’s Lakers during practice to sharpen her performance.

Star Plaza features statues honoring Lakers legends Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, and Kobe Bryant. The site also includes monuments to hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky, boxer Oscar De La Hoya, and longtime broadcaster Chick Hearn. Leslie is the second WNBA player to receive a bronze statue outside a U.S. professional basketball arena, following former Seattle Storm point guard Sue Bird.

Leslie described Bryant as a younger brother during her remarks and expressed pride that her statue stands near the memorial dedicated to Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna “Gigi” Bryant.

Before reaching the WNBA, Leslie starred at the University of Southern California and received the 1994 Naismith College Player of the Year award. She spoke about growing up in Compton and attending Morningside High School in nearby Inglewood. While her mother worked as a truck driver, Leslie cared for her siblings, responsibilities she cited as the foundation for her professional resilience.

“We know there is a low percentage of women who have statues in our country,” Leslie said during the ceremony. “I just feel like we are just starting to get our flowers and reap some of the benefits of hard work, blood, sweat and tears that we put into it.”

The Sparks retired Leslie’s No. 9 jersey in 2010. She was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.

Leslie emphasized the civic and cultural impact of visible representation for young athletes in Los Angeles and across the country. “I hope they see themselves out there. I hope you can find a girl that looks like you, whether she has long hair or short hair,” Leslie said. “That’s the key for kids in general. You have to see yourself. If you see it, then you also start to dream and believe that you can be it.”

Her career included three WNBA Most Valuable Player awards, in 2001, 2004, and 2006, as well as eight WNBA All-Star selections. She also won four consecutive Olympic gold medals with Team USA in 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008.

Addressing the WNBA’s growth since her rookie season in 1997, Leslie pointed to the significant increase in corporate sponsorship, media distribution, and commercial support across women’s sports.

“I am so proud of where the women’s game is,” Leslie said. “But the dream was always that we hoped that our USA, everybody across the board, could see the beauty in us, could see the strength in us and our resilience. I am so proud of the product that’s on the floor.”

Members of the current Sparks roster attended the pregame ceremony outside the arena. Nneka Ogwumike highlighted the historical continuity within the franchise and the broader league landscape.

“That’s history, you know? I am very adamant about players coming in and knowing their history,” Ogwumike said. “That’s something you can’t let go of. I think we can see, especially in the NBA, where they are honoring these legends and they are coming back. I think we’re entering an era where there is so much history.”

Following the unveiling, Leslie and her family attended the game inside Crypto.com Arena, where the Sparks defeated the expansion Portland Fire 105-84. Rae Burrell co-led Los Angeles with 20 points and two assists, scoring 13 of her points in the first half. Ogwumike also scored 20 points, becoming the fourth player in WNBA history to reach 8,000 career points, while Ariel Atkins added 14 points.

The Sparks opened a lead of as many as 20 points in the third quarter as multiple players moved into double-digit scoring. Los Angeles maintained the margin through the fourth quarter despite playing without Cameron Brink, Dearica Hamby, and Aaliyah Nye.

Burrell stated that Leslie has served as an ongoing resource for current players seeking career advice and professional guidance.