The man who once called 3,338 consecutive Lakers games — getting there every time despite rain, snow or otherwise — is shown sitting at a table while wearing a headset, looking like he's midsentence while calling a game. A chair next to him remains open, allowing fans to take photographs in it.

Hearn's widow, Marge, was the first to sit in the chair after the 45-minute ceremony in front of a crowd of about 500. She kissed her right hand and then placed it gently on the cheek of her husband's statue.

"This is as good as it gets, to have this in your life," she said. "Fabulous day. Just fabulous."

Byron Scott and James Worthy spoke during the ceremony, emceed by Lakers TV color commentator Stu Lantz and attended by numerous Lakers luminaries and personnel including Kurt Rambis, Bill Sharman, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Norm Nixon, Rick Fox, Mitch Kupchak, Jeanie Buss and former Lakers TV producer Susan Stratton.

"We miss him terribly," Scott said. "Chick could make you feel the game. He had that type of ability. He was the greatest that ever did it and the best to ever do it."

Hearn joins Magic Johnson, Wayne Gretzky and Oscar De La Hoya as the statues in front of Staples Center. Hearn's statue weighs 5,000 pounds and was created by Omri Amrany.

"No matter what neighborhood you came from … Chick created that harmony, that family," Worthy said. "It all started with the voice of Chick Hearn. He was a special, special man. He lives with us every day."

Hearn was the Lakers' play-by-play announcer from 1961 to 2002.