LSU to Honor Sylvia Fowles with Statue on Campus

On September 16, 2026, LSU announced plans to honor women's basketball legend Sylvia Fowles with a statue outside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Fowles will be the fifth basketball player and the second woman to have a statue on campus, alongside notable figures such as Bob Pettit, Shaquille O’Neal, Pete Maravich, and Seimone Augustus.

The announcement was made by LSU women's basketball head coach Kim Mulkey during an emotional Zoom call with Fowles, who expressed her disbelief and gratitude upon receiving the news. "This is something that is extremely, extremely well earned, but baby, you're going to get a statue," Mulkey told her. Fowles responded, “It is such a privilege and an honor. 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.”

Fowles, a two-time All-American center, led the Lady Tigers to four consecutive Final Four appearances from 2004 to 2008. She earned multiple accolades during her time at LSU, including the 2008 SEC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors. She holds several records at LSU, including all-time totals for rebounds (1,570), blocks (321), and games played (144). Fowles was inducted into the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015, and her No. 34 jersey was retired in 2017, making her one of only two women whose jerseys hang in the Maravich Center.

The date for the statue's unveiling will be announced at a later time. Coach Mulkey stated, "Sylvia Fowles is one of the greatest players, not only at LSU, but in the history of our game. 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' influence extends beyond her collegiate career. Selected second overall in the 2008 WNBA Draft by the Chicago Sky, she later joined the Minnesota Lynx, where she contributed to WNBA championships in 2015 and 2017, earning Finals MVP honors both times. She was named the league MVP in 2017 and recognized as the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year four times. Fowles is also an eight-time WNBA All-Star and a four-time Olympic gold medalist with Team USA. Recently, she joined the Portland Fire coaching staff as an assistant to head coach Alex Sarama.