In a surprising change of heart, former three-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas has revised his earlier stance, now affirming that LeBron James will undoubtedly be honored with a bronze statue outside Crypto.com Arena.

Earlier this year, Arenas appeared on DraftKings’ Nightcap podcast with Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, where he criticized the idea of James being immortalized in front of the Lakers’ home. At the time, Arenas argued that James, despite being a 20-time All-Star, hadn’t achieved enough in his Lakers tenure to justify such an honor. He pointed out that Shaquille O’Neal, who spent eight years in LA and won three championships, set the bar for Lakers statues. Arenas claimed James’ six years with the team, one championship, and six All-Star appearances weren’t enough to merit a statue.

However, Arenas seems to have rethought his position. On a recent episode of his podcast, Gil’s Arena, Arenas acknowledged that James’ legacy as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer all but guarantees him a place among Lakers legends. “LeBron James will have a statue at Staples because you’re not gonna have the No. 1 scorer in NBA history not there,” Arenas said.

Arenas added that Cleveland, where James won a championship in 2016 and spent the bulk of his career, will also honor him with a statue. He even hinted that James could potentially earn a third statue in Miami, where he led the Heat to four consecutive Finals appearances and two titles.

LeBron’s current contract keeps him with the Lakers through the 2025-26 season, further solidifying his contributions to the franchise and strengthening his case for an LA statue. While Arenas initially questioned James’ impact, he now joins the chorus of voices recognizing LeBron’s inevitable place in Lakers history