Phil Jackson to Receive Statue in Star Plaza, Joining Lakers Legends Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal

The Los Angeles Lakers have officially announced that Hall of Fame head coach Phil Jackson will be honored with a statue in Star Plaza, located outside the Crypto.com Arena. The unveiling ceremony is slated for April 9, 2027, a date chosen to coincide with the Lakers' matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. At 80 years old, Jackson is set to become the ninth individual to be immortalized with a statue outside the arena, a prestigious recognition that places him among the pantheon of Lakers' greatest figures. His monument will celebrate a remarkable 11-season tenure with the franchise, a period marked by unparalleled success and the acquisition of five NBA championships. Jackson's journey with the Lakers began when he accepted an invitation from the late Lakers owner, Jerry Buss, to lead the team. He coached the Lakers across two distinct periods: from 1999 to 2004 and again from 2005 to 2011. During his time at the helm, Jackson cultivated an era of dominance, guiding the team to an impressive 610-292 regular-season record and an equally formidable 118-63 record in the playoffs. Under his strategic leadership, the Lakers achieved a playoff berth in all 11 of his seasons and reached the NBA Finals an astounding seven times. A cornerstone of his Lakers legacy is the iconic three-peat, where the team secured three consecutive NBA titles from 2000 to 2002. This period of sustained excellence cemented his status as one of the greatest coaches in league history. Jackson's coaching prowess was not confined to Los Angeles; prior to his West Coast dynasty, he had already established himself as a legendary architect of basketball success with the Chicago Bulls. There, he secured six NBA championships, further solidifying his reputation as a championship-winning strategist. His extraordinary contributions to the sport were formally recognized with his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007. The statue in Star Plaza will place Jackson's likeness alongside an exclusive group of eight revered figures, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant, Chick Hearn, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Pat Riley, and Jerry West. Notably, Jackson's most recent public appearances at Lakers games were to witness the statue unveilings of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, two pivotal players who were instrumental in his inaugural Los Angeles three-peat, underscoring the deep connections and shared triumphs of his coaching era.