LSU to honor basketball icon Sylvia Fowles with statue on campus

LSU women's basketball legend Sylvia Fowles will be immortalized in bronze at her alma mater.

The university announced on Wednesday, Sept. 16, that it'll erect a statue of Fowles outside of the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She will become the fifth basketball player and second woman to receive their own statue on campus, joining Bob Pettit, Shaquille O'Neil, Pete Maravich and Seimone Augustus.

LSU women's basketball head coach Kim Mulkey shared the news with Fowles during an emotional Zoom call that was shared across social media. "This is something that is extremely, extremely well earned, but baby, you're going to get a statue," Mulkey told Fowles, who laughed in disbelief at the announcement.

"It is such a privilege and an honor," an emotional Fowles added. "I definitely will not take this for granted. It says a lot to be recognized for all my hard work and I would not appreciate it the way that I do if it was not on LSU's campus. Thank you to the people who made this happen."

The two-time All-American center led the Lady Tigers to four consecutive Final Four appearances from 2004–2008. Fowles was named the 2008 Defensive Player of the Year and 2008 SEC Player of the Year, also earning first-team All-SEC honors in her final three seasons. She holds all-time LSU records for total rebounds (1570), offensive rebounds (521), blocks (321), true shooting percentage (59.4%), free throw attempts (822) and games played (144).

Fowles was elected into the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015. Her No. 34 jersey was retired two years later in 2017, joining Augustus as the only women's basketball jersey hung from the rafters inside the Maravich Center.

Now, Fowles is getting her own statue. The date for her statue reveal will be announced at a later time.

"Sylvia Fowles is one of the greatest players, not only at LSU, but in the history of our game," Mulkey said in a statement. "She is one of the most significant ambassadors that this university has and what she did for this program and LSU deserves to be recognized permanently. I am proud that we can honor Sylvia with a statue on campus, giving our fans a lasting symbol that celebrates her remarkable legacy."

Fowles' legacy stretches far past LSU's campus. Fowles was selected second overall in the 2008 WNBA Draft by the Chicago Sky . After joining the Minnesota Lynx in 2015, she helped lead the franchise to WNBA championships in 2015 and 2017, earning Finals MVP honors both times. She was named league MVP in 2017 and earned WNBA Defensive Player of the Year four times (2011, 2013, 2016, and 2021). Fowles was an eight-time WNBA All-Star and four-time Olympic gold medalist with Team USA.

Fowles joined the Portland Fire coaching staff in December as an assistant to head coach Alex Sarama.