The Los Angeles Lakers will unveil a statue honoring former head coach Phil Jackson outside Crypto.com Arena on April 9, 2027. The ceremony will take place ahead of the team's nationally televised game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Jackson, widely regarded as one of basketball's greatest coaches, led the Lakers to five NBA championships during his 11 seasons at the helm. His tenure with the franchise, which began before the 1999-2000 season, restored the team's championship legacy. The Lakers secured three consecutive titles from 2000-2002 and added back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010.
Under Jackson's guidance, the Lakers reached the NBA Finals seven times and achieved a postseason appearance every year. He holds franchise records for most regular-season games coached (902), most playoff games coached (181), most regular-season wins (610), and most playoff wins (118). The team also recorded nine seasons with 50 or more wins and two seasons surpassing 60 wins during his coaching era.
"Phil Jackson defines championship basketball for a reason," Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss said in a statement. "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's coaching career also includes six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls from 1991-1998. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007 and was recognized as one of the 15 greatest coaches in NBA history in 2022.
He will become the ninth individual associated with the Lakers franchise to be honored with a statue, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant, Chick Hearn, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Pat Riley, and Jerry West.