Lakers to unveil Phil Jackson statue in April 2027

The Los Angeles Lakers will unveil a statue of legendary coach Phil Jackson on April 9, 2027. The ceremony will take place before the team's home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, adding a ninth monument to Star Plaza outside Crypto.com Arena.

Lakers governor Jeanie Buss announced the honor. "Phil Jackson defines championship basketball for a reason," Buss said in a team release. "His masterful approach to coaching brought out the best in some of the greatest athletes to ever play the game." She credited Jackson with restoring the franchise's championship legacy by winning five titles.

Jackson's Lakers Legacy

Phil Jackson coached the Lakers for 11 seasons, from 1999 to 2011. His regular season record with the team was 610 wins and 292 losses. In the playoffs, he went 118-63.

The Lakers reached the postseason in every one of his 11 seasons. They advanced to the NBA Finals seven times and secured five championships. This run included the league's last three-peat, from 2000 to 2002.

Jackson, now 80, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007. Prior to his Lakers tenure, he won six NBA championships as head coach of the Chicago Bulls.

The Statue Plaza Honorees

Jackson's statue will join eight other Lakers legends immortalized outside the arena. The current honorees are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant, Chick Hearn, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Pat Riley, and Jerry West.

Bryant and O'Neal, the stars of Jackson's championship teams, are the two players most linked to his era. Jackson's most recent public appearances at Lakers games were for the statue ceremonies honoring those two players.

Timing Amid Franchise Turmoil

The statue announcement arrives during a period of significant ownership drama for the Lakers. The franchise is involved in another sale process, this time to a group led by Josh Kushner and Bob Iger.

A legal battle among the Buss siblings has erupted over selling their stake and removing Jeanie Buss as the team's governor. Buss is disputing the sale in court.

Her name being attached to the sole quote in the statue announcement is seen as notable. It is unclear if Buss will remain part of the ownership group by the time of the April 2027 ceremony. The statue will honor Jackson, who was once her fiancé, alongside other franchise icons.