Wednesday, November 10th, 2010 at 12:30 pm  |  24 responses

Lakers to Unveil Jerry West’s Statue During All-Star Weekend

Pretty soon, the Lakers‘ gym will be home to three statues, which has gotta be some kind of record. The OC Register has the details: “The Lakers are planning a statue of Jerry West outside Staples Center and will unveil it during All-Star weekend Feb. 18-20, Lakers spokesman John Black said Tuesday night. West’s statue will be within shouting distance of Magic Johnson’s in Star Plaza. West, 72, will have the third Lakers statue outside Staples, joining Johnson and broadcaster Chick Hearn. Johnson’s statue was unveiled in 2004, the last time the Lakers hosted All-Star weekend. This is the fifth time that Los Angeles will host the NBA All-Star Game, the most for any city.”

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  • Drew

    I’m happy to see the Logo get a statue of his own, but damn he should’ve had one ages ago.

  • http://Badnewzb8ller Badnewzballer

    Magic, hearn, west, Gretzky, Oscar,…. Kobe is next!

  • http://www.slamonline.com jumpman3224

    Actually, this will be the fifth statue outside of Staples Center. In addition to Magic, Chick and now West, they’ve got Hockey’s “Great One” and Oscar De La Hoya. As for West this will be his second (one in Morgantown), so big ups to him. To me, this confirms that Kobe will be getting one upon retirement for sure. Also, he should get 8 and 24 retired.

  • http://nbaforum.net/superdroid.nettodownloadthisapp Holy Karron

    why both #s jumpman3224 just wondering?

  • http://www.slamonline.com jumpman3224

    @Holy Karron: I think you have to. As #8, he won 3 titles, scored 81 points in a game, was named all-nba 9 times. If you look at his career just while wearing #8, he has accomplished enough to get his # retired. As #24, he won an NBA MVP, two titles and two Bill Russell’s and will likely add to his resume.

  • http://www.kb24.com The Seed

    Cosign jumpman3224
    I have been saying this for years. No other person in a Laker uniform should be able to wear number 8 or 24 ever again after Kobe. That person would have to much on their shoulders and have Kobe shadow over them. BOOK IT!!

  • Purple & Gold

    Kobe will be next to get a statue outside of Staples Center. But won’t be for awhile because I seriously think Kobe will play another 8 years until he’s 40 years old. Kareem deserves a statue also but he gets no love and part of it was his on fault for being a jerk to the media during his playing days and refusal to sign autograph’s for people in public around LA. Shaq will never get a statue because he doesn’t deserve one but the Buss family because they are a classy organization will retire his jersey eventually.

  • Syk

    @Purple and Gold, and why do you think Shaq doesn’t deserve one? He won 3 titles as the man, had a league MVP and 3 finals mvps.

  • http://www.walshsportsblog.com Kevin

    Yeah, but he left on bad terms and now plays for the Celtics.

  • unrel

    shaq doesn’t deserve a statue.. reason.. 6 teams.. he’s had his best years with the lakers.. but didn’t have a career with the lakers.. no statue..

  • http://twitter.com/HarryByrdMan44 LA Huey

    I agree with Kobe getting both numbers retired. Question is, what number will his statue be wearing?

  • K boogie

    They should make 2 statues 1 wearing 8, and 1 wearing 24..lol @ retiring both numbers.

  • K boogie

    Shaq better get 1, as well as Kareem.

  • J.C.

    Give him two statues, #8 with the mini-fro and #24 doing that jaw thing from the ’09 Finals.

  • http://Www.slamonline.com Negativekreep

    @ Huey, perhaps Kobe’s most iconic moment was walking off the court after scoring 81 with his finger pointing to the sky. That would be a sick statue, maybe with #8 on his back and #24 on front. A big a$$ bronze of Kareem shooting a sky hook would top em’ all though IMO.

  • http://www.need4sheed.com Tarzan Cooper

    Kobe cant have both numbers retired, thats just stupid. Retire 8. And have 24 informally retired, no one else wears it, but no extra jersey in the rafters

  • http://www.slamonline.com jumpman3224

    @Tarzan Cooper: I don’t want two banners, just one with both numbers. It may be a bit unprecedented, but its rare that one player does so much for a franchise and rocks two different numbers. If you look at his career as #8 and #24 seperately, both would merit number retirement.

  • Purple & Gold

    Fools are here STUPID as hell and aren’t true Laker fans if you think Shaq deserves a statue outside of Staples Center. Yeah he was a big part of 3 titles but like it’s been already said he left on bad terms and demanded a trade out of LA.Then he went on for about 3 years trashing Dr. Buss, Kobe and the Lakers whole organization in public through the media. Like I said Dr. Buss will do the right thing in the end and will retire his # 34 jersey at Staples when he Shaq finally retires.

  • http://itsahardwoodlife.blogspot.com omphalos

    Wonder if we’ll ever see a Clippers player get a statue…

  • http://slamonline.com lakerslegend

    Nice for Mr Clutch but they should also make a Kareem one in a few years and they prolly will then if will be of Jerry Buss then one of Kobe!

  • T.Edwards

    Chick Hearn, Magic, West? No Kareem?

  • David Lee

    LAKER FANS LIVE IN DENIAL! SHAQ is the reason the lakers won 3 titles, KOBE was just his caddy. quit trying to rewrite history. if you guys had kept SHAQ you would have another 4 banners likely instead of the 2 KOBE somehow fluked his way to. he is a ball hog and has no class and NO ONE likes him SHAQ is the second best LAKER of all-time behind MAGIC ’nuff said

  • David Lee

    p.s. KOBE isn’t even the best player in today’s NBA, let alone all-time. he HURTS a team, he won’t pass and he can’t shoot long-distance i’m not even sure what he can do anymore after watching him this season the celtics must have been partying too much last june ’cause i still have no idea how they lost to such a lameass team

  • Kevin Taylor

    Before Kareem, Magic, Kobe, and even West… Since we are talking about who deserves a statue. I agree with Jerry West’s comment that there should be one of Elgin Baylor. Good chance there would not even be a Los Angeles Laker team if not for Baylor. No he did not win a championship, but he put people in the seats when the franchise was struggling in Minneaopolis the year before the team moved to L.A. The team went from last place to battling the Celtics for the Championship his first year,which was the start of the L.A.Laker/Celtic rivalry. Many of those 60′s battles for the Championshiop would not have happend without his tremendous contributions

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