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Several NBA teams have immortalized their legendary players by putting their statues outside their arenas. From Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson to Kobe Bryant, the statue is the highest form of appreciation that teams use to pay homage to their players.
Recently, the Philadelphia 76ers decided to put a statue of their former star player Allen Iverson outside their arena. The statue will be unveiled next month.
With that in mind, here is the list of NBA players, who have been immortalized by their teams with their statues outside the arena.
10 NBA players immortalized with statues by their respective teams
#1 Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
Michael Jordan is largely considered the greatest of all time in basketball. The Chicago Bulls legend arguably has the most impressive resume in the NBA. He won six NBA titles and never lost an NBA Finals in his career. He was also the Finals MVP in all of Bulls’ six title runs.
Jordan won five league MVPs, he was a 14-time All-Star and a 10-time scoring champion. During his illustrious career, MJ made the All-NBA 14 times, nine times All-Defensive First Team and won the Defensive Player of the Year in 1988.
In 1994, while Jordan was playing baseball after his first retirement, the Bulls unveiled his statue. He later returned from his 1993 retirement and won three more championships for the Bulls. Jordan was inducted in Hall-of-Fame in 2009.
#2 Magic Johnson, LA Lakers
Magic Johnson is arguably the greatest Lakers in franchise history. Johnson is also considered the greatest point guard in league history. In his 13 years in the league, the Showtime Lakers legend won three NBA titles and won two Finals MVPs.
He is a three-time league MVP, a 12-time All-Star and a four-time league assist leader. Johnson is an Olympic Gold medalist and was part of the Dream Team. In 2002, the NBA inducted Johnson into the Hall of Fame. Moreover, it was in 2004, that the Lakers unveiled Johnson’s statue outside the Lakers’ arena.
#3 Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers
The Kobe Bryant statue was recently unveiled by the Lakers on Feb. 8, 2024. His resume is almost the same as Magic Johnson's. Bryant was a five-time NBA champion, a two-time Finals MVP and the 2008 league MVP.
In his 20 seasons in the league, Bryant made 18 All-Star selections, 15 times All-NBA and 12 times All-Defensive Team. Moreover, he was a two-time scoring champion and the 1997 Slam Dunk Champion.
Unfortunately, Bryant died in a helicopter crash in 2020. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2023.
#4 Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia 76ers
Wilt Chamberlain showed unprecedented dominance in the NBA scoring. Though his titles did not match his scoring resume, Chamberlain left an unforgettable mark in the league. He was a two-time NBA champion, Finals MVP in 1972 and a four-time league MVP.
The Philadelphia 76ers legend played 14 seasons in the league and won seven scoring titles. He was an 11-time rebounding leader and an assists leader in 1968. He is the only player in the league history to have scored 100 points in a game. In 1979, Chamberlain was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The 76ers unveiled his statue in 2004.
#5 John Stockton, Utah Jazz
John Stockton has built a resume, unlike any other players on the list. He wasn’t known for his scoring prowess, but he threw passes that only he could have pulled. Stockton played 19 seasons in the league and made All-Star selections 10 times.
He made All-NBA selections 11 times and the All-Defense selections five times in his career. The Utah Jazz legend was also a nine-time assist leader. He leads the league in all-time total assists and steals. Stockton was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.
The Utah Jazz unveiled his statue in 2005.
#6 Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
Dirk Nowitzki made the Dallas Mavericks valid in the NBA. In 2011, he carried the Mavericks to the NBA finals and won the title against LeBron James and the Miami Heat. He also won the Finals MVP in the Mavs legendary championship run.
The 2007 league MVP was a 14-time All-Star and made All-NBA selections 12 times. Nowitzki played 21 seasons in the league and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2023.
The Dallas Mavericks unveiled his statue in 2022.
#7 Karl Malone, Utah Jazz
Karl Malone never won a championship in his career. However, the Utah Jazz legend left an undeniable mark in the league with his scoring prowess. He is third in the all-time points scored list.
Malone played 19 seasons in the league and made All-Star selections 14 times. He also made All-NBA selections 14 times and All-Defense four times in his career. The two-time Olympic Gold medalist was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.
The Utah Jazz unveiled Malone’s statue in 2006.
#8 Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 76ers
Allen Iverson left an undeniable mark in the league. In terms of crossover moves and impacting the NBA culture, Iverson's legacy is still as alive as it ever was. The Philadelphia 76ers star played 14 seasons in the league and was named an All-Star 11 times.
Iverson made it to All-NBA teams seven times in his career and won four scoring titles. He was also a three-time steals leader. In 2001 season, Iverson led the 76ers to the Finals and won the league MVP award.
The 76ers have decided to unveil his statue outside their arena in April 2024.
#9 Shaquille O’Neal, LA Lakers
Shaquille O’Neal is arguably the most dominant player in the league. He was selected first by the Orlando Magic in the 1992 NBA Draft. In his 19 seasons in the NBA, Shaq won four NBA titles and was declared Finals MVP three times. He was also the league MVP in the 2000 NBA season.
During his career, O’Neal made All-Star selections 15 times, All-NBA 14 times, All-Defense three times and won two scoring titles. The Lakers legend has his jersey retired by three teams in the league. Shaq was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016. The LA Lakers unveiled his statue in 2017.
#10 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, LA Lakers
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar held the scoring record for almost 40 years before it was broken by LeBron James. He played 21 seasons in the NBA, won six NBA championships and two Finals MVPs.
He was a 19-time All-Star, 15 times All-NBA and part of the All-Defensive team 11 times. The Lakers legend was a two-time scoring champion and a four-time blocks leader. Kareem was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.
The Lakers unveiled his statue in 2012.
