Magic Johnson Pips Fellow WNBA Legend as Recipient of Monumental Honor

Not many duos have been loved by the City of Angels as much as Magic Johnson and Lisa Leslie. From lifting trophies together during the All-Star Weekends to their work in the Los Angeles Sparks organization, the two basketball legends have parallels we can’t get enough of. Like her longtime friend, Leslie has advanced her portfolio in magnificent ways to further sports. Most recently, she has joined a Metaverse venture that has left the multi-faceted entrepreneur, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, extremely impressed.

For Women’s History Month, Magic penned a message of praise on social media for the 2x WNBA champion. “Lisa Leslie – I have always loved watching you dominate the game, from your college days at USC to your days with the Sparks. Getting to team up with you and Derek Fisher to win back-to-back All-Star Shooting Star challenges is a core memory of mine – we’ve always brought championships to LA!” he wrote on Instagram with amazing throwbacks to their Shooting Star challenges.

He further listed the many accomplishments in her illustrious career, including her MVP titles, four Olympic golds, and 2015 induction into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame to call her, “one of the WNBA’s pioneering players,” and “the face of the WNBA.” 

Johnson concluded with something that a lot of Lakers and Sparks fans have been hoping for. “You took the WNBA, women’s basketball, and the city of Los Angeles to new heights. My friend, your legacy is already women’s history. And now, your impact is continuing through your entrepreneurship! I am so proud of you. One day, I hope you get a well-deserved and earned statue outside Crypto!”

It’s not by coincidence the 5x NBA champion added the photograph of himself and Leslie in front of his own statue at the Crypto.com Arena. In 2019, it was reported that Lisa Leslie would be the first female athlete honored with a statue outside the arena and the first WNBA player outside a team’s home arena.

A date wasn’t ironed out and so far, a statue hasn’t been materialized. She would’ve been the 11th statue outside the erstwhile Staples Center. However, since Kobe Bryant’s statue was unveiled on February 8, 2024, that became the 11th statue. Regardless, Magic and many others hope Leslie’s statue will be installed soon. Some of Magic’s business acumen has rubbed off on Leslie as well.

Magic Johnson’s like-minded business partner

Since joining the ownership group of the Sparks in 2014, Magic Johnson was determined to move the needle in women’s basketball. Leslie has been an instrumental partner in that regard. She too has been growing her entrepreneurial portfolio since retiring in 2009.

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While at SXSW 2024, Leslie spoke about her partnership with LootMogul, which began in 2022. The company works towards increasing fan engagement through metaverse stadiums, ambassadors, and mini-games on the blockchain. At SXSW, Leslie expressed her desire to grow fan and brand engagement for sports enthusiasts.

Whether she gets that statue or not, Lisa Leslie remains monumental in every way. Nonetheless, what do you think about that statue for the Sparks legend?

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