Lisa Leslie moved as she becomes the first Spark with a statue outside Crytpo.com Arena

"Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie didn't expect to ever get a statue outside Crypto.com Arena. After all, it had been 15 years since her jersey retirement and no other Sparks player was featured among the Lakers and Kings heroes outside the area. After years of hearing from fans that she deserve to be immortalized, Leslie learned she would join Sue Bird in Seattle as the second WNBA player to ever be honored with a statue at a franchise's home arena."

""One thing I never had on my bucket list was a statue," Leslie told The Times Thursday. "I grew up seeing the statues of some of the amazing Lakers, so I'm just really grateful to be alive and to be one of the first, especially in the WNBA for L.A. Sparks. It means a lot to me, and I'm really hoping that our community will really rally around it.""

"The Sparks announced Thursday morning that Leslie will receive a statue to be unveiled during a ceremony on Sept. 20 before a Sparks game against the Portland Fire. During her 12-year career with the Sparks, Leslie won three WNBA titles and league MVP honors. She also won four Olympic gold medals. She was also the first player in WNBA history to dunk in a game and her No. 9 jersey was retired in 2010."

""I've known Lisa for nearly three decades and believe that she is beyond deserving of this incredible honor," fellow statue honoree and Lakers great Magic Johnson said in a news release. "She was the driving force behind bringing back-to-back championships to the Los Angeles Sparks franchise in 2000 and 2001, and Lisa's hard work and commitment has made her one of the best to ever play the game.""

Lisa Leslie will be honored with a statue outside Crypto.com Arena, unveiled Sept. 20 before a Sparks game against the Portland Fire. Leslie did not expect a statue, despite years of fan support, and expressed gratitude for being among the first WNBA honorees for the Los Angeles Sparks. Her 12-year Sparks career included three WNBA championships and league MVP honors, along with four Olympic gold medals. She was the first WNBA player to dunk in a game, and her No. 9 jersey was retired in 2010. She ranks as the Sparks franchise career leader in multiple major categories, including points, rebounds, blocks, and games.

Read at Los Angeles Times