Sparks Unveil Statue of WNBA Legend Lisa Leslie

The Los Angeles Sparks honored WNBA legend Lisa Leslie on Sunday, September 20, 2026, by unveiling a bronze statue of her outside Crypto.com Arena. The ceremony, held before the Sparks' game against the Portland Fire, made Leslie the first female professional athlete and the first WNBA player to receive a statue in the arena's Star Plaza. The 11-foot statue, titled "The First Lady," depicts Leslie performing her signature dunk, a move she first executed in a WNBA game in 2002. Leslie, who played for the Sparks from 1997 to 2009, expressed deep satisfaction with the statue's design, which includes personal touches she requested. "I am beyond happy with how beautiful The First Lady looks because they listened to me," Leslie said. She noted details like ribbons in the hair, polished nails, and her family's names engraved on the bracelets. In a podcast interview before the unveiling, Leslie revealed additional symbolic elements. She stated the statue features "L'Oréal red" lipstick and four pieces of gold representing her four Olympic gold medals. "I have four gold medals, and there are four pieces of gold on the statue," Leslie said.