Lisa Leslie made history on Star Plaza outside Crypto.com Arena as the venue unveiled a monument honoring her. The 750-pound bronze sculpture, sculpted by Julie Rotblatt Amrany and Omri Amrany, captures Leslie throwing down the WNBA’s first-ever in-game dunk during her 2002 championship season.
Dubbed “The First Lady,” the two-time WNBA champion and four-time Olympic gold medalist becomes the 16th sports icon—and the first female athlete—immortalized in bronze outside downtown Los Angeles’ storied venue. She joins Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, and Earvin “Magic” Johnson.
”First of all, she’s cute,” Leslie said after seeing the bronze statue for the first time. “I was so worried. I did not want to look like a linebacker up here. But she’s cute.”
“I wanted to make sure that this statue was a perfect blend of fearlessness and the competitor that I was and I am, and I’ll always be. But also … I wore my ribbons, I had my nails polished, which y’all can’t see,” she added. “But the girl got her polish on because I never wanted the boys or the men to think that I was a boy.
Leslie also acknowledged the Bryant family who were in attendance.
“I’m right across from my baby brother, Kobe,” Leslie said, “And I’m so thankful to the Bryant family for being here. I love you guys.
“I’m right across from Kobe. I’m right by Magic—the people who have just poured into my life. I can’t say it enough. To be cemented here in Hollywood, but it’s also a lasting legacy that my ancestors would be proud of.”
Widely celebrated as one of the greatest women’s basketball players in history, Leslie anchored the Los Angeles Sparks for 12 seasons. A two-time WNBA champion, three-time league MVP, and four-time Olympic gold medalist, Leslie dominated the post as an elite scorer. Also a defensive force, earning two Defensive Player of the Year honors alongside eight All-WNBA First Team selections. Her landmark career included milestone achievements—most notably becoming the first player to throw down a dunk in a WNBA game in 2002 and the first to reach 6,000 career points—solidifying a legacy that earned her induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.
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