Former three-time All-Star point guard Gilbert Arenas has shifted his stance regarding whether LeBron James has accomplished enough in Los Angeles to warrant a bronze statue outside the Crypto.com Arena. Initially, Arenas had expressed skepticism, arguing that James lacked the accolades needed to be memorialized in bronze.
Earlier this year, on DraftKings’ “Nightcap” podcast, co-hosted by Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, Arenas dismissed the idea, stating, “If his career stopped right now? Hell nah. He don’t have enough accolades in the Laker uniform.” He compared James’s tenure to Shaquille O’Neal’s, emphasizing that Shaq’s eight years and three championship rings set a higher standard. Arenas claimed, “With six years, 8,000 points scored, one championship, and six All-Star appearances, that’s not good enough for a statue in Los Angeles.”
Interestingly, Arenas capped James’s career with the Lakers at just six seasons, overlooking the fact that James was under contract for the 2024-25 season, which would have tied him for a record 22nd season in the NBA. This extension likely would have boosted his point total in L.A. significantly. Instead, James signed a two-year, $101.4 million deal to remain with the Lakers through 2025-26.
In a recent episode of his podcast, “Gil’s Arena,” Arenas has now confidently declared, “LeBron James will have a statue at Staples because you’re not gonna have the No. 1 scorer in NBA history not there.” He believes Cleveland will honor James with a statue as well, given his impressive history with the Cavaliers, where he led the team to five NBA Finals and won two MVP awards.
Arenas expressed certainty that James will have at least two statues due to his legacy in Miami and Los Angeles. “There’s no way Los Angeles don’t have him with the name,” he asserted, highlighting the undeniable impact James has had on the game and the franchise.
As the debate continues, fans eagerly await what could be a historic moment in Lakers history when James’s contributions are forever immortalized in bronze.
