Lakers to dedicate statue honoring announcer Hearn

LOS ANGELES -- A bronze statue of late Los Angeles Lakers announcer Chick Hearn will be unveiled outside Staples Center.

The public ceremony will take place Tuesday before the Lakers play Oklahoma City in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.

The statue weighs 5,000 pounds and stands nearly 16 feet tall. It will join other statues of Wayne Gretzky, Magic Johnson and Oscar De La Hoya outside the arena. Fans will be able to pose for photos with the sculpture by sitting in an empty chair at the announcer's table next to Hearn.

His wife, Marge, will speak at the ceremony, along with others who played prominent roles in the announcer's career.

Hearn did play-by-play for the Lakers from 1961-2002, broadcasting a record 3,338 consecutive games from Nov. 21, 1965, to Dec. 16, 2001.

He died at 85 in August 2002 after a fall at his home.