The Star Plaza is about to have another legend monumentalized. The Los Angeles Lakers have officially announced that former head coach Phil Jackson will be honored with a permanent bronze statue outside Crypto.com Arena. Set to be unveiled on April 9 prior to a home matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the tribute solidifies Jackson’s place as the ninth member of the organization to receive a statue at the venue.

Jackson guided the Lakers through two legendary eras, securing five NBA championships and seven Finals appearances across two coaching stints spanning from 1999 to 2011. While the honor was a long time coming, it remains to be seen who will serve as the Lakers’ governor for the occasion. Shortly after the organization broke the news, Lakers’ governor (for all current intents and purposes) Jeanie Buss took to social media to urge former players from Jackson’s championship rosters to participate in the celebration.

“Calling all Lakers players from 1999 – 2004 and 2006 – 2011 – please mark your calendars to be there for PJ!!” Buss wrote in an Instagram comment under the team’s official announcement.

The public call to action highlights the long list of NBA icons who played under Jackson’s triangle offense, led by Hall of Fame players Shaquille O’Neal, Pau Gasol, and the late Kobe Bryant. In an official statement, Buss expanded on Jackson’s profound impact on the franchise’s identity:

“Phil Jackson defines championship basketball for a reason,” Buss said. “His masterful approach to coaching brought out the best in some of the greatest athletes to ever play the game. After he accepted my dad’s invitation to join the Lakers, Phil’s unmatched creativity and commitment to excellence restored our championship legacy, bringing five titles and setting a standard of excellence for generations to come. It is a great joy to be able to mark that achievement with the statue he so richly deserves.”

Jackson joins an elite fraternity in Star Plaza alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant, Chick Hearn, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Pat Riley, and Jerry West. While Jackson won six titles with the Chicago Bulls before arriving in Los Angeles, the Bulls have yet to build a statue in his honor, making the Lakers the first franchise to immortalize the 11-time championship coach physically.

Yet, while the organization prepares to celebrate its storied past, the tribute, along with Jeanie’s statements, comes amid severe uncertainty regarding her own future as the long-term governor of the Lakers.

Lakers ownership drama could make Phil Jackson’s statue unveiling very different

Jeanie Buss’s public declaration arrives against the backdrop of a major ownership feud playing out both in courtroom petitions and news headlines. After Mark Walter sold his 64% controlling stake to Thrive Capital founder Joshua Kushner and former Disney CEO for a blockbuster $12.5 billion, the last vestiges of the Buss family’s stake are in the middle of a tug-of-war.

Jeanie is the lone holdout refusing to sell the family stake to Kushner-Iger and is taking her five siblings to court to preserve her authority. Buss’s legal team filed a 97-page petition in Los Angeles Superior Court aimed at blocking her siblings from selling their minority shares of the team to outside buyers.

To maintain her status as governor under NBA rules without outside control, Buss would need to secure a 15% individual stake, but non-selling minority owners have declined to sell their shares to her, making a buy-out structurally complex and financially demanding amid the team’s soaring valuation.

The initial court hearing for Buss’s petition was recently rescheduled. Originally set for November 5, the case was continued at the request of lead counsel Adam Streisand due to international speaking commitments, pushing the court date to December 8. Meanwhile, there might be a new governor in charge.

While initial reporting suggested former Disney CEO Bob Iger and Kushner would split controlling duties, financial reports confirmed that Kushner will be the lone controlling shareholder, i.e., the “governor” of the team, putting up at least $1.875 billion to satisfy the NBA’s required 15% individual equity threshold.

Iger is slated to participate as a minority owner and alternate governor, leading day-to-day business management, rather than serving as the team’s primary decision-maker.

Between the upcoming April statue ceremony for Jackson and the court dates, the NBA Board of Governors will decide whether to approve the Lakers’ sale. Depending on how it goes, it would be either Phil Jackson’s former boss or a brand-new governor at the podium unveiling his statue.