Los Angeles Sparks to honor Lisa Leslie with a statue outside Crypto.com Arena

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Sparks announced Thursday they will honor Hall of Fame player Lisa Leslie with a statue outside of Crypto.com Arena.

Leslie became the second player in league history, joining Sue Bird, to be honored with a statue by her franchise. The eight-time All-Star remains the team's leader in points, rebounds, blocks and a host of other categories.

“To be cemented in Los Angeles, the city that raised me, I couldn’t be more proud to be a role model forever!” Leslie said in a statement. “God has blessed me and I have truly given my all to this sport and our community. I am thankful to my coaches, teammates, incredible fans, and, most importantly, my family and friends. As the saying goes, ‘The wolf is only as strong as the pack,’ and I’ve been fortunate to have an amazing pack supporting me every step of the way.”

She helped the franchise win back-to-back titles in 2001 and 2002 and spent her entire 12-year career with the Sparks. Leslie also won four gold medals with USA Basketball.

“I’ve known Lisa for nearly three decades and believe that she is beyond deserving of this incredible honor. She was the driving force behind bringing back-to-back championships to the Los Angeles Sparks franchise in 2000 and 2001," Magic Johnson said. “Lisa’s hard work and commitment has made her one of the best to ever play the game. Lisa’s legacy isn’t just measured by championships and accolades, though; it’s defined by the doors she opened and the standard she set for generations to come.”

Leslie's No. 9 jersey was retired by the team in 2010. The statue will join the 15 other iconic sculptures in the plaza at the arena that include Johnson, Wayne Gretzky, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.

The ceremony to unveil the statue will take place on Sept. 20 prior to Los Angeles' game against Portland.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball