Quick answer
- The statues are outside the arena and completely free to visit. No ticket, no event required.
- There are now two Kobe Bryant statues. The first, in Star Plaza, is 19 feet tall and shows him after his 81-point game. The second, of Kobe and Gianna, is by the 11th Street entrance.
- Star Plaza is on the north side of the arena, at 1111 S Figueroa Street.
- The plaza also holds Magic Johnson, Wayne Gretzky, Oscar De La Hoya and others.
- Allow 30–45 minutes to see them all properly.
- The arena is home to the Lakers, the Kings and the Sparks.
Our kids had spent a week at a Los Angeles Lakers camp, so a walk round the outside of the Lakers’ arena was not really optional.
What surprised us is how much there is out there, and that all of it is free. You do not need a ticket, there is no event required, and Star Plaza is open to anyone walking past.
Here is what is there, where each statue stands, and how to see them without paying for anything.
our kids at the LA Lakers camp
Can you visit the statues without a ticket?
Yes. Star Plaza is outdoors and open to the public, and the statues are free to see.
This is the question people actually ask and it is worth answering in one clean sentence, because a lot of visitors assume the statues are inside a ticketed area. They are not. You can walk up, take photographs, and leave.
On event days it gets busy — a Lakers or Kings game brings crowds through the plaza — so if you want photographs without people in them, go on a day when nothing is on, or early.
The Kobe Bryant statue in Star Plaza
Unveiled on 8 February 2024, and it is the one most people come for.
It is 19 feet tall and weighs 4,000 pounds, cast in bronze, and it shows Kobe walking off the court after his 81-point game in January 2006 — the second-highest scoring game in NBA history.
He is holding up one finger. If you know what the gesture means, it lands; if you do not, it is worth explaining to whoever you are with before you get there.
It stands in Star Plaza, on the north side of the arena, with the other Lakers greats.
The Kobe and Gianna statue
This is the one that gets missed, because it is not in Star Plaza with the others.
It opened to the public on 3 August 2024 and stands outside the 11th Street entrance, near Chick Hearn Court and Georgia Street — a short walk round from the main plaza.
It shows Kobe with his arm around his daughter Gianna, both wearing angel wings, with Kobe kissing the top of her head. It merges two courtside moments from their time together.
The details are worth looking closely at, because they are all deliberate:
- Kobe is wearing a Philadelphia Eagles beanie — a gift from Gianna
- And a WNBA hoodie
- The statue sits in an Italianate garden with hedges and symmetrical benches, honouring the years Kobe spent growing up in Italy
- The flowers are purple and gold for the Lakers
- Butterflies are engraved into the setting in purple and golden vein onyx, for transformation
It was designed by Karon Davis and made by the artists at Rotblatt Amrany Studio.
Walk round to it. It is quieter than Star Plaza, there are benches, and it is a very different thing from the 19-foot bronze — smaller, closer to eye level, and much more affecting.
A note on tone. This statue is a memorial to a father and a thirteen-year-old girl who died together. It is a lovely place and it is completely appropriate to visit with children, but it is worth a word beforehand about what it is, rather than arriving at it cold.
We saw only the first statue, the other one we didn’t know about it exists.
Who else is in Star Plaza?
Star Plaza honours both of the arena’s main teams and some of the city’s other sporting figures. Among them:
- Magic Johnson — Lakers
- Wayne Gretzky — Kings
- Oscar De La Hoya — boxing
- Kobe Bryant — the 81-point statue above
Where exactly is it?
Crypto.com Arena, 1111 S Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015.
- Star Plaza is on the north side of the building
- The Kobe and Gianna statue is by the 11th Street entrance, near Chick Hearn Court and Georgia Street
It was called the Staples Center until it was renamed under a sponsorship deal, which is why older guides, older signage and a lot of Angelenos still say Staples. If you are asking directions, either name works.
The arena is home to three teams: the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA), the Los Angeles Kings (NHL) and the Los Angeles Sparks (WNBA).
Doing it with kids
- Allow 30 to 45 minutes for both locations, including the walk between them.
- It is free, so there is nothing lost if it goes quickly.
- It works best if they know who they are looking at. With a child who follows basketball this is a highlight; with one who does not, it is a set of statues.
- The Kobe and Gianna statue has benches and is a calmer place to stop than the main plaza.
- There is no shade to speak of in the plaza — in summer, go early or late.
- On event days there are crowds and there is security. A non-event day is a better visit.
The age our kids were by the time we visited this place, Damian was 10 and Marc was 7. After a week at LA camp, it was just an amazing experience.
If your kids play basketball
We were in Los Angeles because our children had places at a Los Angeles Lakers camp, and the arena visit was the bookend to that week.
our kids’ week at the LA Lakers camp
If you are considering a camp, we compared the three we looked at — the Pau Gasol Academy, the Barça camp and the Lakers youth camp — including what each costs and who each suits.
the best basketball camps for kids compared
What else is nearby
You are at the southern end of downtown, and the historic core is a short walk or a very short drive north.
Angels Flight and Grand Central Market — a 1901 funicular and a 1917 food hall, directly opposite each other, and the whole thing costs a few dollars. → Angels Flight and Grand Central Market
The LA City Hall observation deck — free 360° views, weekdays only. → the LA City Hall observation deck
The Apple Tower Theatre store — a restored 1927 cinema with free classes. → the Apple Tower Theatre store
And if you have a whole day, downtown to Venice Beach is the classic LA day out. → downtown LA to Venice Beach in a day
Where we stayed
We were at the Millennium Biltmore — now officially The Biltmore Los Angeles — in the historic core, which put all of the above within walking distance.
our Millennium Biltmore review, and the room to ask for
Is it worth going?
If anyone in the family follows basketball, yes, without hesitation — and the fact that it is free makes it an easy addition to a downtown day rather than a decision.
If nobody does, it is fifteen minutes and a photograph, and there are better free things a few blocks north.
The one thing I would tell people: do not stop at Star Plaza. Walk round to the 11th Street entrance for the Kobe and Gianna statue. It is the quieter one, it is the one people miss, and it is the one that stays with you.
Crypto.com Arena Statues: FAQ
Where is the Kobe Bryant statue in Los Angeles?
There are two. The first stands in Star Plaza on the north side of Crypto.com Arena at 1111 S Figueroa Street, and was unveiled on 8 February 2024. The second, of Kobe with his daughter Gianna, is outside the 11th Street entrance near Chick Hearn Court and Georgia Street, and opened to the public on 3 August 2024.
Can you visit the Crypto.com Arena statues without a ticket?
Yes. Star Plaza is outdoors and open to the public, and all the statues are free to see with no ticket and no event required. On event days the plaza gets busy, so a non-event day is a better visit if you want photographs.
What does the Kobe Bryant statue show?
The Star Plaza statue is 19 feet tall, weighs 4,000 pounds, and shows Kobe Bryant walking off the court after his 81-point game in January 2006. The second statue shows him with his arm around his daughter Gianna, both wearing angel wings, and merges two courtside moments from their time together.
Where is Crypto.com Arena located?
Crypto.com Arena is at 1111 S Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015, at the southern end of downtown. It is home to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Kings and the Los Angeles Sparks.
What was Crypto.com Arena called before?
It was called the Staples Center until it was renamed under a sponsorship deal. A lot of local people and older guides still call it Staples, and either name will get you directions.
Which statues are outside Crypto.com Arena?
Star Plaza holds statues of Lakers and Kings greats and other Los Angeles sporting figures, including Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Wayne Gretzky and Oscar De La Hoya. The Kobe and Gianna statue stands separately, outside the 11th Street entrance.
How long do you need to see the statues?
Allow 30 to 45 minutes to see Star Plaza and walk round to the Kobe and Gianna statue at the 11th Street entrance. There is very little shade in the plaza, so in summer go early or late in the day.
Is Crypto.com Arena suitable to visit with kids?
Yes, particularly if they follow basketball. It is free, it takes under an hour, and the Kobe and Gianna statue has benches and is calmer than the main plaza. If nobody in the family follows the sport it is a fifteen-minute stop rather than an outing.
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