After Kobe Bryant, Which Lakers Legend Deserves a Statue Next?

The late, great Kobe Bryant‘s statue was recently unveiled by the LA Lakers. The Black Mamba played for the franchise for two decades, earning every accolade in basketball. As a true Laker, it was about time that the franchise bestowed this honor in his name, and they did it in style. During the ceremony, Vanessa announced that there would be three statues of Kobe.

Kobe’s honors tripled

The first statue that was unveiled at the ceremony, captures the moment of Kobe walking off the court after dropping a career-high 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in January 2006.

The ceremony was attended by some of Kobe’s ex-teammates, and some of the biggest legends of the game. Several people including Phil Jackson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Jeanie Buss gave speeches, remembering the 5x NBA champion for the Lakers. Vanessa, during her speech, revealed that there are going to be two more statues of the Mamba, one with the 24 jersey and the third with his daughter Gigi who also passed away in the tragic 2020 incident. Vanessa also unveiled the #8 jersey, in the pose for the same picked by Kobe back in the day.

The Lakers legend was honored in a way that was fit for someone of his stature. Arguably the greatest Laker to ever put on the purple and gold, deserved the biggest of ceremonies, with some surprises and an elite guest list. However, this now begs the question, which Lakers legend will be the next to receive this honor?

Who is next in line for a Lakers statue?

The LA franchise boasts an esteemed line of gentlemen who have represented the franchise and were honored with a statue. The list includes names such as Shaquille O’Neal who got a statue made of him in 2017, Magic Johnson in 2004, Jerry West in 2011, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 2012, and Elgin Baylor in 2018. Now with Kobe joining the list this year, fans are wondering who will be immortalized next outside the Crypto Arena.

There are a few incredible candidates for the same. However, retiring someone’s jersey and erecting a statue in their honor is something that requires a thorough look at the contributions they have made to the franchise. Looking at Pau Gasol at the ceremony yesterday made several people wonder if he is next in line. The Spanish national played for the franchise for six years, winning two championships and making three All-Star appearances. Gasol’s importance for the Lakers during their back-to-back championship wins in 2009 and 2010 was immense. He provided the right balance to Kobe who was looking for a teammate to take over whenever he needed him to. On March 7th, 2023, the Lakers retired Gasol’s #16 jersey in his honor.

Apart from Gasol, there are two more athletes who present a strong case for this special honor. However, there is still a lot to debate. James Worthy and LeBron James are the front runners for the same. Worthy represented the franchise for twelve years from 1982 to 1994, he started off and retired as a Laker, only playing for one team. In that time, he won three NBA championships, made seven All-Star appearances, and won the Finals MVP in 1988. Worthy is a bonafide legend for the Lakers and is very well respected by the Lakers fans, across generations. On December 10, 1995, the Lakers retired his #42 jersey in his honor.

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Will LeBron James get a statue with the Lakers?

There is no scarcity of honors and accolades in LeBron’s career. He is a 4x NBA champion, 4x league MVP, 4x Finals MVP, 20x NBA All-Star, and the highest scorer in the history of the league. There’s nothing that the 39-year-old doesn’t have on his resume. However, for him to get a statue with the Lakers organization, there needs to be a significant contribution from him for the franchise so that they can justify erecting a statue of him in front of their arena. LeBron came to the LA franchise in 2018 and has been doing wonders for his team. While most of it couldn’t translate into NBA championships, he has been serving the franchise well.

LeBron’s only ring with the Lakers came in 2020 and he broke the scoring record while wearing the Lakers jersey, these are some of the biggest highlights of his career in LA. As for the legends’ opinion on whether LeBron should get a statue with the Lakers, James Worthy has a lot to say. The NBA veteran said, “It depends on what he does here out. Personally — and I think he’d agree — he hasn’t been here long enough. But I think his overall greatness, when you have a player like LeBron, who breaks Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s [all-time scoring] record in Los Angeles, does it as a Laker, then wins a championship as a Laker, you can’t argue that he could get a statue in Los Angeles.”

His current teammate Austin Reaves also had something to say when he asked about a possible LeBron statue a while ago. Reaves said, “He came to LA at a time where wasn’t having much success and 2-3 years put a banner in the rafters, so why not? In my opinion, he’s the greatest player to ever play the game.” There are good points at both ends of the spectrum. Whether LeBron gets a statue or not, we will know in time. One thing that is undeniable is that he is the front-runner for this honor alongside Gasol and Worthy.

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