So, I finally got around to doing something I’d been thinking about for a while. You see all this stuff online, especially after they put up the new Kobe one recently. It kinda puts it in your head, you know? Seeing all those legends together.
Anyway, had a free afternoon last week. Wasn’t planned or anything fancy. I just thought, “Screw it, I’m gonna go down there.” Grabbed my jacket, didn’t even bother with a real camera, just my phone. Headed downtown towards the arena. Finding parking? Yeah, that was fun. Cost a small fortune, like always around there. Felt like half the experience was just finding a spot that didn’t require taking out a loan.
Once I got out and walked over to that plaza area in front, Star Plaza, I think it’s called? It was pretty busy, actually. More people than I expected for just a regular weekday afternoon. Guess I wasn’t the only one with the idea.
Started wandering around. It’s not like there’s a set path, you just bump into them.
Found Magic Johnson first. Big statue, classic pose. Lots of folks taking pictures. Hard to get a clean shot without someone wandering into the frame.
Then spotted Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. That skyhook pose is something else. Stood there for a minute looking at that one. You really get a sense of how unstoppable that shot was.
Shaquille O’Neal’s statue is just massive. Honestly, it captures that feeling of him dunking, the sheer force. Can’t miss that one.
Saw Elgin Baylor too. Maybe fewer people hovering around his, but still really impressive. Such a legend.
Had to find Jerry West, obviously. Mr. Clutch. Simple, but iconic.
Even saw Chick Hearn sitting at his desk with the microphone. Felt right seeing him there, like he’s still calling the games.
And yeah, then I went over to the Kobe Bryant statue. That one definitely had the biggest crowd. People were quiet there, respectful. Lots of flowers somebody had left. Seeing him there with Gigi… it hits you a bit differently. Spent a bit more time there.
It was interesting just standing there, seeing them all in one place. It connects you to the history a bit, I guess. Not just names you hear about, but you see them represented there, larger than life. It wasn’t some life-changing trip, just walked around for maybe an hour or so, snapped a few pictures on my phone. Mostly just wanted to see them for myself. Glad I did it. It’s kinda cool they’re all right there together.
