Phil Jackson, renowned for his coaching success, will receive a statue from the Los Angeles Lakers, as announced by the team on Tuesday. Jeanie Buss, Lakers acting governor, stated, “Phil Jackson defines championship basketball for a reason.” The unveiling of the statue is scheduled before an April game during the 2026-27 season. Jackson will join eight other Lakers legends memorialized in bronze at Star Plaza outside the team’s downtown Los Angeles venue.
Jackson’s exceptional coaching style is widely acknowledged for bringing out peak performance in legendary athletes. His tenure with the Lakers restored the franchise’s championship legacy, resulting in five titles. Buss emphasized Jackson’s deserving nature of the accolade due to his illustrious career, noting the statue marks a well-earned achievement.
Jackson, soon to celebrate his 81st birthday, coached the Lakers for 11 seasons in two separate terms, initially from 1999 to 2004, and later from 2005 to 2011. Under his leadership, the Lakers secured five NBA championships. Key players in this success included Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, driving the team’s three-peat title run. Bryant continued as the central figure for the last two championships, partnered with Pau Gasol.
Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007, Jackson is esteemed as one of NBA history’s top coaches, having led Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls to six championships over two three-peat streaks.
Among those already honored with statues outside Crypto.com Arena are Lakers icons Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Chick Hearn, Magic Johnson, Pat Riley, Jerry West, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kobe Bryant. Phil Jackson spoke at the unveiling of Kobe Bryant’s statue on February 8, 2024, which is one of three planned tributes for Bryant at the arena.
Two statues at Star Plaza recognize Bryant, with one dedicated to his late daughter, Gianna “Gigi” Maria-Onor’e Bryant. Chantz Martin, a sports writer for Fox News Digital, contributed to this announcement.