Lisa Leslie, a three-time WNBA Most Valuable Player and one of the Los Angeles Sparks' most celebrated players, was honored with a bronze statue outside the team’s arena on Sunday. The 11-foot statue, mounted on a 4 1/2-foot base, captures Leslie’s iconic dunk — the first ever in WNBA history — and marks her as the first player in Sparks franchise history to receive such recognition.

The unveiling ceremony, which took place at Star Plaza, featured appearances by notable figures including Magic Johnson, Candace Parker, and Michael Cooper, among others. Leslie, who played for the Sparks from 1997 to 2009, expressed her satisfaction with the statue’s detailed design. She highlighted features such as the lipstick, earrings, and bracelets engraved with her family’s names, which add a personal touch to the artwork. The statue also depicts Leslie’s signature ponytail, symbolic of the image Leslie hoped to project for young girls and fans.

“I am beyond happy with how beautiful ‘The First Lady’ looks because they listened to me,” Leslie said of the statue’s artist’s careful attention to detail. “When little girls walk around and get a chance to see it, they see a woman, ‘The First Lady’ statue out there. That just means so much to me.”

Leslie, often referred to as “The First Lady” of the WNBA, was a key figure in the Sparks’ consecutive championship victories in 2001 and 2002. Reflecting on the statue’s design, she remarked lightheartedly on concerns about how her likeness would appear in bronze, hoping she would not resemble a “linebacker” but instead be “cute.”

The statue adds to a collection of 16 individuals honored at Star Plaza, commemorating those who have contributed significantly to the Sparks organization and basketball in Los Angeles. It stands as a lasting tribute to Leslie’s impact on the team and the sport.